Fr Alex Swain
Beloved in Christ,
In a world seemingly spiraling out of control, in a world roiling with war and brimming with conflict, we may feel powerless to do anything when faced with such vast problems.
Today is the feast day of Saints Joanna, Mary, and Salome. These “are traditionally counted as the three women who came to Jesus’ tomb early in the morning on the day of the resurrection in order to anoint his body with myrrh and other spices.” (Lesser Feasts and Fasts, p. 346)
Joanna is named in Luke 8:2-3 as a steward of Herod. Salome was present at the crucifixion in the Gospel of Mark. Mary is thought to be Mary Magdalene. They are deeply honored in the Orthodox church, known as the “Holy Myrrhbearers.”
These three paragons of faith were also in a world spiraling out of control, roiling with war and brimming with conflict. Their nation was occupied by an imperial power which enacted harsh restrictions. Tensions between local politics and imperial overlords were chronically flaring throughout the region.
And the person they followed, the person that they walked with during His earthly ministry—who they stood with through his arrest, crucifixion, and burial (while the 12 disciples fled or denied Christ)—is now dead. The Messiah is now dead.
And yet.
And yet these three blessed women do what little they can.
And yet they pause to anoint and honor the body.
And yet they carry on, to care for their Rabbi even in death.
And yet they learn that Jesus is not dead, but alive.
These three saints testify to the world that Christ is “life and the life was the light of all people” as today’s Gospel reads.
They show us that despite all that was going on, showing up to care for Christ was enough. And in doing so they encounter their risen Lord; they encounter the very incarnate God who by death destroyed death.
Given their witness, their faith, their steady onward motion, how might we continue to bear witness to Christ in the world around us? How might we bring salves and spices for a hurting world? How might we react when we encounter Christ as we go about the little we can do?
Yours in Christ,
—Alex+
