Bishop Mefody on the Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearers

Here is my translation of a brief homily by Bishop Mefody of Campanie (+1974) on the Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women:

Today is a feast in honor of those who were witnesses of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ the Savior, and of those who served the Lord, who labored for the Lord. Today is the feast day of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women and Saints Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus.

The Holy Myrrh-Bearers accompanied the Lord, served Him from their property, from their means, were with the Lord on Golgotha, at the removal of the Lord from the Cross, and at His burial. They hastened to Christ’s Tomb and were the first to know of Christ’s Resurrection. St. Joseph of Arimathea requested the body of Jesus Christ from Pilate, and with Nicodemus took him down form the Cross, wrapped him in a shroud and laid Him in a tomb, in a cave in his garden.

The Holy Myrrh-Bearers and Saints Joseph and Nicodemus are succeeded by all those who today serve the Lord and His body, the Church, some from their means, some by work, and some by their talents. “In place of myrrh we bring Thee song, O Master,” we sing in the Paschal days. Do those singing feel this? Do they understand that by their singing their are serving the Lord, bringing Him myrrh, taking their place alongside the Myrrh-Bearers? Do all the Church workers and donors feel Whom they are serving and to Whom they are bringing sacrifice?

With a proper understanding of this in service to the Church, and with sacrifices to the Church, there can not be any taking of offense or discontinuation of Church work or sacrifice to it because either the Batuishka or the starosta or someone else did or said something incorrect.

Today is the feast of the Holy Myrrh-Bearers, Saints Joseph and Nicodemus and all those who follow them in service to the Lord and His body, the Church. Amen.