Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday, March 23, 2008
Preparation:
Read the Gospel for the day over - John 20:1-18 it can be found online at http://divinity.library.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/AEaster/aEasterSun.htm Pay attention to the words or phrases that jump out at you.
Read over the lesson so that you are familiar with what is intended to happen. Gather the materials that you will need to tell the story.
Story Time:
Materials needed:
Comfortable story area - somewhere on a carpet with cushions or blankets to sit on or comfortable chairs for everyone
Shawl
This story is told from the perspective of Mary Magdalene as older woman who is now an elder in her community. Wrap the shawl around your head and shoulders. You might want to use an older woman voice to tell the story. The children are to pretend that they have come to visit Mary Magdalene and they want her to tell them her favourite story.
Welcome, welcome children. Your families tell me that you would like to hear a story. I have just the story to tell you today. It is a true story. It is my favourite story.
When I was a young woman I met a man who changed my life. I met Jesus. He healed me from my deepest sorrows. He helped me to see how much God loved me and not just me but everyone and everything in this good world of ours. I was so happy to be spending time with Jesus.
Then something so sad and so horrible happened. The religious leaders in Jerusalem got so scared of what Jesus was saying and doing. They decided they needed to put him to death. They put on him trial and convinced the Roman leader he had to be killed. They put him up on a cross and we watched him die. All of us, those who had been with Jesus, could not believe what we were seeing.
I helped our friend Joseph get Jesus' body ready for the tomb. We wrapped him up in cloths and laid him in the cave. I cried and cried and cried.
I had to wait until early Sunday morning before I could go to we were had buried Jesus. I wanted to make sure that everything was all right. We had to be in such a hurry when we took his body there that I wasn't sure we had done everything we needed to.
I had such a surprise when I got there. Jesus' tomb was open and his body was gone. I ran to find Peter and John. I told them that Jesus' body was gone and that we couldn't find him.
They ran back to the tomb. John got there first and he looked in the tomb. He saw that only the linens, the cloths we used to wrap his body in, were the only things there. Peter followed him and went into the tomb and he saw the same thing. They were not sure what to think. They went back to their homes after that.
I stayed in the garden outside of the tomb. I was crying and crying. You can hardly imagine how sad I was feeling. I looked into the tomb and was once again surprised. There were two angels there. They were sitting in the tomb. They asked me why I was crying. I told them how someone had taken Jesus' body away. I asked them if they knew where it was.
I heard something behind me and thought I saw the gardener. He asked me why I was crying. I told him that I was looking for the body of my dearest friend, my Jesus. Then I had the biggest, most wonderful surprise of my life. The man in the garden called my name. He said, "Mary". I knew at once that it was Jesus.
My heart leapt for joy. I was so happy. I called back to him, "Teacher". Jesus looked at me with so much love. He told me that I couldn't hold him yet.
Jesus then told me to go find all of our friends. I was to tell them that he is alive. I was to tell them to wait for him. I ran so fast that my feet hardly touched the ground. I found our friends and told them everything that I have told you.
Jesus is alive. Alleluia.
Take the shawl off and ask the children if they have any questions.
Have a blessed and happy Easter season.
