The above is M. Chrisman’s Easter Vigil fire pit.
Today we are going to consider some questions regarding the women of the Resurrection. The Patristic answers will follow.
How is it possible that the women had both joy and fear at the tomb?
St. Jerome writes: “A twofold feeling possessed the minds of the women, fear and joy—fear at the greatness of the miracle, and joy in their desire for Him that was risen.”
Why weren’t the women going to the tomb to anoint Our Lord afraid of the Roman soldiers guarding it in the first place?
Fr. Lapide gives a surprising answer: “It is very probable that they were ignorant of the watch of the soldiers that had been posted by the Jews at the sepulchre, and also of the sealing. For if they had known of these two things, they would not have dared to come to the sepulchre, lest they should fall into the hands of the watch, much less to break the seal. But God removed both of these hindrances out of their way. Hence learn courageously to undertake works for the glory of God, and certainly to trust that God will either remove, or cause us to surmount, all hindrances that lie in our way.”
Why did women get the news of the resurrection from the angels before the men did?
Of course, tradition holds that the Risen Jesus first appeared to His mother Mary, for she is the sinless Mother of God. But after that, the women disciples of Christ came to the tomb before the male disciples. The obvious reason for such a gift is that they merited it by staying at the cross when the men fled (except St. John.) Fr. Lapide writes: “For the women deserved this favour above others, because above others in their devotion to Christ they had come to the sepulchre.” Also when writing of St. Mary Magdalene and Mary the wife of Cleophas, Lapide does not hesitate to call them “the leaders and standard-bearers of the rest who were willing to follow Christ.”
Pope St. Gregory the Great (6th century) adds an interesting reason: “For because woman in Paradise ministered death to man, woman from the sepulchre announced life to men. As if the Lord were saying to mankind, not in words but by deeds, ‘From that same hand by which the potion of death was administered to you, receive ye the cup of life.’ ” St. John Chrysostom also writes: “Because a woman was made the cause of sorrow to man, now women are made the ministers of joy to men.”
Does this mean women can become priests or preach to a flock?
Fr. Lapide was the greatest Scriptural scholar in the 16th century, and he lived concurrently with the first Protestants. Accordingly, Lapide writes: “Luther wrongly concludes from these words of Christ that women may preach; for it is one thing to tell, another to preach.” Notice the clear difference between women explaining the truths of the Gospel versus preaching it in a Church building.
The latter is prohibited by the Holy Spirit through St. Paul: Mulieres in ecclesiis taceant, non enim permittitur eis loqui.—1 Cor 14:34a. (“Let women keep silence in the Churches, for it is not permitted them to speak.”) Thus, we need to be very careful with terms like “Female Apostle to the Apostles.”