“Channeling”
While respecting that others may disagree (and intending no disrespect of their own spiritual matters) Modern Myrrhbearers does not accept the notion that there are persons in this earthly world who enjoy supernatural communications hotlines to deceased individuals; the concept that a person who has been divinely designated as a medium actually “channels” the departed by allowing the departed to speak through them, with knowledge of extenuating circumstances previously unknown to the channeling medium, is not what this site intends to suggest. Here “channeling” St. Joanna means only that this blogger offers thoughts and meditations deeply inspired by St. Joanna and her experiences. When asking others to channel St. Joanna as well, it is with the hope that deep reflection will trigger in other Christians a personal interpretation of Scripture that will suggest to them what St. Joanna and the other myrrh bearers, especially those unnamed in Scripture, might have thought, felt and lived, and, in light of that, how we all might live our best lives today.
No Endorsements
Modern Myrrhbearers provides hyperlinks to web pages that may amplify a thought on this site, but these links do not reflect an endorsement of the linked material. Nor are these links intended to reflect agreement with any theological discussions reflected there. Modern Myrrhbearers seeks unity among Christians of all denominations in service to and worship of Christ our God. Pope Saint John Paul II said in 2000 “Christ calls all his disciples to unity….believers in Christ, united in following in the footsteps of the martyrs, cannot remain divided…We know that during her earthly pilgrimage the Church has suffered and will continue to suffer opposition and persecution. But the hope which sustains her is unshakable, just as the joy which flows from this hope is indestructible. In effect, the firm and enduring rock upon which she is founded is Jesus Christ, her Lord.”
Bible Versions
Various translations of the Old and New Testaments are used throughout this site; no hidden meaning is intended in choosing one version over another in any given instance. This is a site for Christians of all denominations, and Modern Myrrhbearers hopes that as we journey none of us need feel that the use of a particular translation leads anyone to the tragedy of Babel. That said, the author of this site is an Orthodox Christian and confesses in advance to a fondness for the imagery of the King James version despite the antiquated language of its verses.
Artwork
Images of artwork included on this site are hyperlinked to the artist’s page on this site.
Categories/Tags
Hopefully, over time this site will hold a collection of thoughts and imaginings inspired by events and circumstances in the life of St. Joanna. All we can know of her in this modern age is that she was a woman healed of an infirmity by Jesus Christ, that she was married to Chuza, steward to King Herod Antipas, that she was present at the foot of the Cross for the crucifixion, was among a group of women who brought myrrh and embalming materials to the empty tomb on Easter Sunday, and that she was one of the women who received the command from an angel to be the first evangelists to announce Christ’s resurrection. All this we learn from two passages in St. Luke’s gospel (8:1-3 and 24:1-11). Modern Myrrhbearers will use tags and categories to highlight the biblical episodes or scriptural passages to which posts relate as St. Joanna’s story is imagined and told herein.
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