On the 3rd Sunday of Pascha, Fr. Matthew Howell gives some background on Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, and the Myrrh-bearing women. He points out that, though Joseph of Arimathea was “waiting for the kingdom of God,” he was not waiting passively, nor were the Myrrh-bearing women passive in their desire to care for the things of the Lord. He claims that we should be actively pursuing the kingdom of heaven, hastening it to come and eager to be with the Lord. He also explains how the women went to the tomb without any expectation of meeting Christ, but were rewarded with grace and good news for their faithfulness. Along the way, he refers to the Homily Bingo Card, Waiting for Godot, and the movie Castaway.
Previous Homilies for the 3rd Sunday of Pascha:
- Hasten to the Lord and Finish the Work – May 4, 2025 by Fr. Matthew Howell
- Anointing the Lord with the Myrrh of Our Life: Love – April 30, 2023 by Father Archimandrite Sergius Bowyer
- The Disciples Scattered but the Myrrhbearing Women Stayed – May 8, 2022 by Fr. Matthew Howell
- “Waiting for the Kingdom of God”: How to Live like Joseph of Arimathea – May 16, 2021 by Fr. Matthew Howell
Acts of the Apostles 6:1-7
In those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, “it is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochoros, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaos, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.
Mark 15:43-47; 16:1-8
At that time, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. And Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. And he bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud, and laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid. And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.” And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.