Thurs, August 3, 2023
The Feast of Joanna, Mary, and Salome: Holy Myrrh-Bearers
The Rev. anne williamson
Mark 16:1-8
When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint Jesus. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
All four Gospels tell the story of women coming to tomb to anoint the body of Jesus with myrrh and other spices on the first Easter morning. Mary Magdalene (whose feast day is July 22) is mentioned most often; in Luke’s gospel, it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and other unnamed women. In Mark’s version, it was Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome.
Very little is known of these women but they have been revered by the Church for not only following Jesus and supporting him during his earthly ministry but remaining through his trial and crucifixion when other disciples stayed away. They were present at his burial and they were the first witnesses of the resurrection, instructed to tell the disciples that they would see Jesus in Galilee. But according to our gospel reading today, they fled in ‘terror and amazement’ and ‘said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid’. In the oldest versions of Mark’s Gospel, the story ends there.
However, clearly someone told someone something at some point! Given how brave these women had been, supporting Jesus in his public ministry and then being the ones who stood by him through his trial and crucifixion, it seems strange that latterly they would be so gripped with fear that they would flee without sharing the extraordinary news of his resurrection. The various gospel versions differ: the Gospel of Matthew describes the women experiencing ‘fear and great joy’ and yet hastening to tell the disciples and the Gospel of Luke, too, has the women bringing the good news to the disciples, although Luke describes the reaction to the news as an ‘idle tale’ until the disciples see the empty tomb for themselves.
These faithful women go to the tomb with myrrh to anoint the body of Jesus but instead are anointed themselves to be bearers of the good news of the resurrection. I believe they were faithful to that calling and we are the beneficiaries of these apostles to the apostles (a title often given to Mary Magdalene! ‘Apostle to the Apostles’). The Church has also recognized their faithfulness in offering this day to commemorate them. How might we be inspired to lay aside any terror or fear we might have about sharing the good news with others and lean into proclaiming the great joy of everlasting life in Jesus Christ?
Almighty God, who revealed the resurrection of your Son to Joanna, Mary, and Salome as they faithfully came bearing myrrh to his tomb: Grant that we too may perceive the presence of the risen Lord in the midst of pain and fear, and go forth proclaiming his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.