Sermons & Homilies

This Sunday – the second Sunday after Pascha – we remember, and we celebrate, the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women, as well as Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. And who were these people? They were a people that exemplified perfect love, courage and faithfulness towards their friend, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. When we read the Gospel, it seems like they are hardly mentioned – just a passing note on the way to Christ’s Resurrection. But what faith and what love of Christ did the Myrrh-Bearing women show! What loyalty and devotion! At the darkest hour, when all had abandoned Christ, when all hope seemed to be lost, these women – along with Joseph of Aramathea – went and risked their lives to take Christ from the Cross, to lovingly wrap Him in linen, and to lay Him in a new grave. And when all were hidden away in fear of the Jews and of the powers that be, when all had abandoned Christ, their murdered Messiah, it was this small group of women who risked everything out of love for Christ – to anoint Him with myrrh and sweet spices. And just as it was through a woman, through Eve, that sin came into the world, it was through a woman, the Theotokos, that God came into the world. And it was to these women that the Resurrection was first revealed. It was in this way that their true love, devotion and bravery was rewarded by God. While all were cowering behind locked doors, these women, faithful to Christ and out of love for their friend, were amazed to behold the empty tomb, and to hear the words – for the first time ever – “He is Risen!”

Today, on the First Sunday after Pentecost, we come to the end of a long journey, a long liturgical cycle lasting around 120 days or one third of the year, which began with the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee and ends with this Sunday of All Saints. This is a journey of sanctification, meant to sanctify us and teach us about the meaning of our life on earth – which is to be sanctified. On the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee we contemplated the beginning of the path to holiness in Christ – the humility of the Publican. After asking the Lord to “open unto us the gates of repentance” we proceeded to fast and mourn over our sins throughout the holy 40-day fast, finally turning our attention to the saving Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and whether we were ready or not, purified completely or only a little, we rejoiced in His Glorious Resurrection. After lingering a little on the events surrounding the Resurrection and the days thereafter (the Sundays of Thomas and the Myrrh-Bearing Women), we eventually came to His Glorious Ascension, where we are reminded that Christ ascended only after giving his disciples the promise of the coming of the Divine Comforter, the Most-holy Spirit. Last Sunday we celebrated the much-awaited Descent of the Holy Spirit, the life-giving Spirit Who sanctifies and enlivens all things, all creation, most of all that created in the image of God, mankind.

We have reached today the last Sunday of Paschaltide. On Wednesday we will celebrate the leavetaking of Pascha, the Feast of Feasts, and on the following day we will celebrate the Holy Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ.