On the feast of the Myrrh-bearing women, we bring our warmest greetings to our wives and all the women who have found God. We pay tribute to their sacrifice and humility in bearing their cross, and, on occasions, in putting up with their unwieldy husbands. We acknowledge their commitment to serve, not out of habit but out of their love of Christ.
Our congratulations go to all our women. We wish them to grow in their faith and succeed in their hard work to keep the peace in their families. At Saint Elisabeth Convent, our myrrh-burning women in black are warriors in the army of Christ. They surrendered their worldly comforts and benefits to dedicate themselves fully to Him. They are special. They are the cream of His army, our first line of defence. So we chant today the hymn "Many Years" in honour of all the women who have come to Christ, who worship and serve Him.
We wish everyone a love of heaven. A love that never ends but is ever-lasting. Too many of us have become accustomed to things that end. We fall in love, join hands and then divorce after a few years. That is not love, but only a passion. A passion has nothing to do with love. True love is about sacrifice, service of the family and kin, humility and a habit of spiritual life.
The day of the myrrh-bearing women coincides with our victory in World War 2 on 9 May. It is a day of our unity and our shared appreciation of the enormous feat accomplished by our grandfathers and great-grandfathers. They were protecting Holy Russia, not Stalin or Soviet ideology. They fought for their homeland and faith. And so Victory Day is sacred for us. Nazism is pagan, idolatrous and demonic. Our people rose against the evil and darkness of Nazism. Two of my grandfathers fought in the war. My grandmother was decorated with the medal "For Valour". She was with the partisans.
The fight against paganism and darkness is still on today. Too many are still dreaming of a new world order promising many pleasures and attractions but no God. But we keep to our faith and have done so throughout our history. Our faith embraces the world. We are Orthodox, the right believers.
My beloved brothers and sisters, let me give you my warmest greetings again on the Resurrection of Christ and the beauty right before our eyes. Observe hoe nature is rejoicing in this beautiful season and glorifies its Creator. May you all keep the Paschal joy in your hearts, and may your spirits remain strong, despite our infirmities of the body and soul. God's power is manifest in weakness.
Christ is risen!
Preached on 8.05.2022
