Three
The Sabbath’s over but it’s still dark.
Mary Magdalene, James' mother Mary, and Salome prepare spices to take to the grave.
During the night each had dreamt.
A great trembling.
The Lord’s angel, face like lightning, raiment brilliant as snow, rolling back as stone.
Guards looking like dead men.
The angel saying to women, don’t fear.
I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.
Why look for the living among the dead?
He is risen.
He is not here.
Remember what he said in Galilee.
Adam’s son must be put in the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and on the third day rise.
Come, see where the Lord lay.
Then go quickly and tell his followers that he is risen from death.
Look, he is going into Galilee.
You will see him there.
I have told you.
Walking to the tomb as the sun rises, they ask each other, how will we roll away the stone?
At the grave they see that the stone has been rolled away and that the body is gone.
The women, wild with fright, run to tell Peter and John.
Peter and John run to the tomb.
John reaches it first.
Stopping at the entrance and looking in, he sees the linen grave closed but no body.
Peter comes up, sees the linen, and enters the tomb.
The cloth that covered Jesus' face is not with the linen but is rolled up in a place by itself.
Peter and John return to the city.
Mary Magdalene remains outside the grave, crying.
Looking into the grave, she sees two angels in white sitting where the body was, one at the head, the other at the feet.
Woman, why are you crying?
Because they’ve taken my Lord away and I don’t know where they’ve put him.
She sees a man standing behind her.
She takes him for the gardener.
Woman, why are you crying?
Who are you looking for?
Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you put him.
I will take him with me.
Mary, Rabboni, teacher, don’t cling to me.
I have not yet gone up to my father.
Go to my brothers and tell them I am going to my father and that I will go to my father and their father, to my God and their God.
She runs and tells the others, I’ve seen the Lord, but they don’t believe her.