April 8, 2026
Dear fathers and brothers in Christ, dear children,
Holy Wednesday presents us with two major figures: the repentant sinful woman who brings myrrh to Christ, and Judas who moves toward betrayal. Between these two attitudes, we are called to choose our own path.
At the center of today stands the Sacrament of Holy Unction (Holy Oil), a sacrament of healing, forgiveness, and mercy.
Already from the Old Testament, God reveals Himself as “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love” (Psalm 103/102). His mercy follows humanity throughout the entire history of salvation.
The Sacrament of Holy Unction is a continuation of God’s economy of salvation. As it is written in the Epistle of James: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church… and let them anoint him with oil.” The oil is bound with prayer, forgiveness, and the healing of soul and body.
Saint John Chrysostom emphasizes that God’s mercy surpasses all human justice. God does not save man because he deserves it, but because He loves him.
Saint Basil the Great sees mercy within the very nature of God, while Saint Isaac the Syrian says that “the heart of a merciful person burns for all of creation.”
It is no coincidence that the word “mercy” (eleos) is linguistically linked with “oil” (elaion). Just as oil softens and heals wounds, so does mercy soften the human heart and heal the wounds of the world.
Modern Orthodox theologians, such as John Romanides, emphasize that God’s mercy is an experience of life within the Church. Man is healed not merely morally, but existentially through God’s grace.
Metropolitan John Zizioulas emphasizes that salvation is a relationship, and mercy is the way God enters into this relationship with mankind.
Holy Wednesday calls us to become bearers of mercy. Let us stand before God in humility, like the sinful woman, and bring Him the myrrh of our hearts — our repentance and trust.
The Sacrament of Holy Unction is an invitation to inner renewal. It is God’s touch upon our wounds. It is an assurance that no matter how deep our fall may be, God’s mercy is deeper still.
Let us therefore approach with faith. Let us pray for His mercy and become merciful ourselves, so that the light of God’s love for mankind may be reflected in our lives.
With heartfelt paternal wishes for a blessed Pascha,
† Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden and All Scandinavia
