First Women Journalists

The second Sunday after Easter is one of my favorites. In the Eastern Churches, we call it the "Sunday of the Myrrh Bearing Women". Today we celebrated the women who appeared at the tomb just after Christ rose from the dead. After hearing from the angel that Jesus had risen, they were the first to behold the risen Lord.

This past Easter I spent a lot of time contemplating the Myrrh Bearing Women. Those faithful women who never left Jesus. I think it is interesting that they went to the tomb after the Sabbath anyway. They probably saw the huge stone rolled in front of the tomb. They probably knew that it would be difficult to get a chance to anoint Christ properly, but they went anyway. Why? They went because they loved their teacher and friend so much that they knew they had to at least try.

I also realized how providential it was that these women were the first to see Christ. Women, by their nature, are very receptive. They are receptive both physiologically and psychologically. Everything about women, down to the gross anatomy proves the receptivity of women. How fitting it is that Jesus chose women, the most receptive to be the first to hear the news about His Resurrection. Jesus probably even knew that no woman can keep a great thing secret for long. In this case, he instructed them to take the news to his disciples. In this way, I call the Myrrh Bearing Women the First Women Journalists.

These women hold a special place in my heart. It isn't just because I am an aspiring female journalist but also because the very first time I was on the radio with Fr. Tom was on the Sunday of the Myrrh Bearing Women. I was on with Katie Reidy, also dubbed a Myrrh Bearing Woman, and together we shared our Easter experiences. It was a memorable day for me that helped to shape my future.