On the Third Sunday of Pascha (the Resurrection of our Lord, God, and Saviour Jesus Christ), Orthodox Christians throughout the world commemorate the Myrrh Bearing Women--namely, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome.

We also commemorate the “Secret Disciple,” Joseph of Arimathea, and the “Disciple by Night,” Nikodemos. Joseph was a prominent council member who came quietly, took down Jesus' Sacred Body from the Cross, wrapped It in a linen cloth, and laid It in his own tomb. Nikodemos was the one who had asked Jesus how a man can be born again to which Jesus' empty Tomb gave the answer.

           When Jesus was born in a cave, another Joseph, the Betrothed of the Virgin Mary, wrapped the Baby Jesus in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger in a dark cave. This prefigured Jesus’ Burial garment and His own tomb hewn out of rock in which Joseph of Arimathea would place Jesus after His Deposition from the Cross.

Naturally, Joseph the Betrothed of Mary was perplexed and rationally wondered how his beloved and betrothed could be with child, and consequently, he was worried about being ridiculed by his own people, but Joseph the Betrothed pocketed his pride and put his reason in service of Faith, and he nobly did what was proper and caring to play his role in the Sacred Drama of redemption.

Understandably, Joseph of Arimathea was also afraid. In his case, he feared being cast out of the synagogues and incurring the opprobrium and vilification of his own people, and furthermore, he feared the unfettered power and retribution of Pilate, but Joseph cast out his fear with Faith and bravely played his chosen part in God’s Plan for salvation.

Thus, Joseph the Betrothed and Joseph of Arimathea played their respective roles in salvation history: The former placed the Child of the Virgin in a manger, and the latter placed the Son of the Mother in his Tomb.

When Jesus came in the flesh in the Fulness of Time, He came to fulfill and perfect all things for us, by becoming the First in all things, and for all of us, He even became, in time below, the First Born among the Dead so that, through Him, we may be born again above for eternity.

He, therefore, fulfilled all the Prophets and the Law by honoring the Sabbath Day and resting on the Sabbath Day after His Work for a New Creation in Him. As God rested on the Sabbath Day from His work of creation; so now Jesus (God in the Flesh) rested from His work for the New Creation. Through Christ, the Sabbath Day (the Christian Sabbath) now has its Ultimate and Perfect meaning, for He fulfilled the Law--even unto death.

           As the men played their part in the Sacred Drama of salvation, so, too, the women. Mary Magdalene foreshadowed the women bringing forth oil to anoint Christ’s Pure Body for His Burial, when she opened the precious ointment and anointed the Feet of “The Anointed One” (Ο Χριστός).

These same Feet that the First Eve hid and ran from when she heard Them in the Garden, Mary Magdalene openly came to in order to anoint Them—The Feet that came for her and The Feet that were impaled for her. Now, she would go again, with Mary and Salome to anoint the Feet that were pierced upon the Cross.

           Christ's male Disciples had fled and hid in despair, despondency, and trepidation. However, the Myrrh Bearing women Disciples courageously rose early in the morning to do their sacred obligation and care for Christ's Body, as was only right and proper according to the Sacred and Ancient Customs of their people. The women did not fear the Roman guards or the vituperation of their own people. They got up early to do the right thing, no matter what anyone thought, or what the obstacles were.

These chosen women did not care for themselves. They cared only for their Christ. They were not totally prepared, but who ever really is. This is a lesson, in itself, from the women disciples: If we wait for the perfect time and circumstances to act, we never will, but if we boldly, faithfully, and lovingly act, God will complete whatever is lacking and perfect whatever is imperfect. In short, as God provided for Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, He will provide for us, if we have Faith; and the Myrrh Bearing Women had such Faith.

The Myrrh-bearing women did not have great strength, but they had great Faith, for when they got near to the Tomb, they realized that the Stone was exceedingly large, and they were too weak to move it. Notwithstanding this physical reality, propelled by love for their Master, they inexorably came, and God did provide, for His Love is too great for a barrier to keep one from experiencing their Resurrected Lord. For provision, God sent His Angel to roll away the Great Stone from the Tomb. The seal of the Tomb was not broken, the stone was rolled away, and the Tomb was empty.

Amazed, the women entered and saw an Angel clothed in brilliant white sitting on the right side. The Angel delivered the Message of their Resurrected Lord and God to the women, salient and clarion. He told them that the Crucified One, Jesus of Nazareth, had Risen, and that is why He is not here as evidenced by the empty place where He once laid.

He then gave them a Message from Jesus to deliver to His Disciples, and especially, to Peter. The Disciples' Resurrected Lord was sending a message from His Empty Tomb to meet Him in Galilee (a place of comfort and fond memories) and to assure Peter that he had been forgiven for his three-fold denial and was still considered one of His beloved Disciples. Even the finality of death and the confinement of the Tomb could not keep the Love of God and His Redemptive Message from His Disciples.

           Hence, in His Infinite and Inscrutable Wisdom, God chose the women to be the "Apostles to the Apostles", and they are honored and revered to this day for being the first witnesses to the Empty Tomb and the first to experience the Resurrection of Christ.

In Faith, the women Disciples were more manly than the men Disciples. In Faith, they rose, and they rose early. In Faith, they were prepared, but they were not totally prepared; but because of their Faith--the Faith that can move mountains and, therefore symbolically, any barrier--God had His Angel move the Great Stone from the Tomb, so they could be the first witnesses to the Resurrection and thereby, become the "Apostles to the Apostles."

           The Myrrh Bearing Women, Joseph of Arimathea, and Nikodemos all fulfilled God's purpose for them to fulfill His Divine Plan for salvation. The women rose early and bravely did their duty. Joseph offered his wealth in service of doing what is right and proper, and Nikodemos offered his learning which birthed the profound, prophetic question: "Can a man be born again?"

Casting out fear with Faith, each one of them let nothing stop them from doing what is right, noble, good, and true, and coming to Jesus. Each did what they could, and God provided. God does provide. He provides life eternal for those who believe Him. He was born in the Womb of the Virgin Mary for us so that He could be buried in the Tomb of Arimathea for us. He indeed became Man; but by definition of a man, He must die. Therefore, His voluntary Birth in the wood of the manger pointed to His voluntary Death on the Wood of the Cross.

           The Womb pointed to the Tomb. The Birth in the Cave pointed to the Burial in the Cave. The swaddling cloths pointed to Joseph's linen cloth. The midwives caring for the Baby pointed to the Myrrh Bearers caring for The Man (The Christ). God was born in time, in the Flesh, in a place, so He could die in time, as Man, in a place so that through Him, we may be born again, in the spirit from above for eternity.

His Mother's Womb became an earthly Paradise for the Humanity He assumed. His Cross became the New Tree that opened the Gates of Paradise for us. His Tomb became the Womb from Which He Resurrected to grant a New Birth as a New Creation for eternity in Him for the humanity Whom He assumed and redeemed for our salvation.

           Is it possible for a man to be born again? Yes, Nikodemos, it is. You asked the right question of your Lord, and Your Resurrected Lord answered you, His Disciple by Night, in God’s appointed time, at the Resurrection, from His appointed place, the Empty Tomb, and through His chosen vessels, the Myrrh Bearing Women:

           Joyfully yours in our Resurrected and Triumphant Lord,

                                                                                                          †Father Jim