Mary the mother of James, and Mary Magdalene and Salome
bought spices and sat together preparing the spices. It was very early when Mary Magdalene went
into the kitchen and put everything together while she was putting the spices
on the table, the other Mary and Salome can into the kitchen too. ‘How did you sleep?’ Salome asked as she sat
down on a chair near the table.
Looking
at her both Mary’s said ‘Not at all’.
Picking up the dish with the spices the three women walked through the
door and down the street toward the place where Jesus was buried.
On their way to the grave they experienced a violent
earthquake. An Angel of the Lord came
down from heaven and going to the tomb rolled back the stone and sat on
it. His appearance was like lightning
and his clothes were white as snow. The
guards were so afraid of him they shook and became like dead men.
The three women, Mary the mother of James, Mary Magdalene
and Salome saw the Angel of the Lord and stood before him like pillars of
salt.
‘Do not be afraid, for I know
that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he
said. Come and see the place where he
lay. Then go quickly and tell his
disciples: He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.’
Running into the tomb they stood in front of the place where
Jesus it was empty.
Bewildered and astonished the woman left the tomb in a hurry
and yet they felt joy and ran to his disciples.
Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greeting,” he
said. They came to him fell down on
their knees clasping his feet, worshiping.
Then Jesus bent down and lifted them to their feet “Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see
me.”
While the women were on their way, some of the guards went
into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had
happened. When the chief priests had met
with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money,
telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and
stole him away while we were asleep.” If this report gets to the governor, we will
satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”
So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated
among the Jews to this very day.
Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he
rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe
those who had seen him after he had risen.
He said to them, “Go into all the
world and preach the good news to all creation.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not
believe will be condemned. And these
signs will accompany those who believe.
In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison,
it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and
they will get well.”
After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up
into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached
everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his words by the signs
that accompanied it.
