EASTER HOMILY - Archbishop Robert Duncan
EASTER HOMILY
There is now, with Jesus, no challenge we cannot face, not even death
Preached by the Most Reverend Robert Duncan at the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh Vigil, in St. Peter's Church in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, on Easter Eve, 7th April, A.D.2012.
They were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb? [Mark 16:3]
In the Name of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, One God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Blessed and Praised forever: Amen.
In all four gospels it is women who come first to the tomb. Matthew, Mark and Luke all tell us the purpose: to anoint Jesus' body. Burial on Friday had been hurried. At least the soldiers had not broken his legs to speed death. He was already dead. The Sabbath was at hand. In the moment, Joseph of Arimathea was moved to give his own freshly hewn tomb, which was, St. John tells us, very near to the Place of the Skull. Nicodemus, John tells us, had given spices, but Jesus' own inner circle had not been able to care for his body in the customary way. There had been so much hurry. They had loved him so much. Nevertheless, they could still do what was right, what at the very least they owed him, when the Sabbath ended.
They surely recognized their problem. They surely knew that the immense wheel-like stone had been rolled over the entrance to the tomb. St. Mark tells us that they had actually seen this happen. Maybe they had also heard about Pilate's order that the tomb be sealed and a guard set to keep things that way. It is St. Matthew that records for us this detail.
So the women meet very early on Sunday, sometime after sundown on Saturrday. They must do what it is right to do and what could not be done on Friday. They can now prepare the spices and the ointments. It is still dark. They will arrive near first light.
Read the full story at www.VirtueOnline.org
There is now, with Jesus, no challenge we cannot face, not even death
Preached by the Most Reverend Robert Duncan at the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh Vigil, in St. Peter's Church in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, on Easter Eve, 7th April, A.D.2012.
They were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb? [Mark 16:3]
In the Name of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, One God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Blessed and Praised forever: Amen.In all four gospels it is women who come first to the tomb. Matthew, Mark and Luke all tell us the purpose: to anoint Jesus' body. Burial on Friday had been hurried. At least the soldiers had not broken his legs to speed death. He was already dead. The Sabbath was at hand. In the moment, Joseph of Arimathea was moved to give his own freshly hewn tomb, which was, St. John tells us, very near to the Place of the Skull. Nicodemus, John tells us, had given spices, but Jesus' own inner circle had not been able to care for his body in the customary way. There had been so much hurry. They had loved him so much. Nevertheless, they could still do what was right, what at the very least they owed him, when the Sabbath ended.
They surely recognized their problem. They surely knew that the immense wheel-like stone had been rolled over the entrance to the tomb. St. Mark tells us that they had actually seen this happen. Maybe they had also heard about Pilate's order that the tomb be sealed and a guard set to keep things that way. It is St. Matthew that records for us this detail.
So the women meet very early on Sunday, sometime after sundown on Saturrday. They must do what it is right to do and what could not be done on Friday. They can now prepare the spices and the ointments. It is still dark. They will arrive near first light.
Read the full story at www.VirtueOnline.org
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