The Tomb

 SCENE 10

Mary: Jesus told us this day would come but I don’t know that any of us understood what He meant. Or were even prepared for it. I felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest. Our best friend, our Father, our Lord, was gone and I had no idea what to do now. I was overwhelmed with grief. How could I sleep? So before the sun arose I hurried to His tomb. Thoughts still racing through my mind. I need to see him. But instead all I saw was the stone rolled away. Someone has been here! It’s not enough they took his life, now they’ve robbed us of his body. 

I have to find Peter and the others. I ran as hard as I could, not even feeling the ground beneath my feet. (shouting to them) “They’ve taken the Lord from the tomb! We don’t know where he is!” 

We all ran back together. I don’t know what I thought the men would do, but all they did was look. How could they look and just leave? We have to find him! I’ve never felt so alone. All I had left were my tears. (inconsolable weeping) 

I had to look inside for myself. I saw two angels, so bright and beautiful, but they weren’t Him.

ANGEL: “Woman, why are you weeping?” 

MARY: (through tears) “They’ve taken my Lord, and I don’t know where he is!” Then I heard another voice…

JESUS: “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” 

MARY: “Are you the gardener? Please tell me where you have laid him so that I can go get him.” I was so confused, so I begged him to tell me where they had laid him. “I need to go get Him, please tell me where He is!”

JESUS: “Mary.” 

MARY: Instantly I knew! I looked up to see my Lord and shouted, “Rabbi, Teacher!” I was so full of joy and relief. All I wanted was to grab him and never let go, but he wouldn’t let me. He told me I had to find the others. So again I ran. I flew...I had to tell them I have seen the Lord and He is alive! 

Reflection:

Between the cross and the resurrection, there was Saturday. It was a whole day of what seemed like complete silence from God. Grief, pain, fear, unanswered questions, disappointment, the disciples had just experienced the greatest loss of their lives. They may have felt abandoned by God but He was there and He was working as we see by the resurrection. Have you ever wondered, “where are you Lord?” In the midst of difficulties and unanswered prayer, our field of view can get cloudy when we lose heart, we could miss seeing that Jesus has been with us every step of the way. Overcome by her grief and fear, Mary didn’t see Jesus right away. Could it be that what seems like silence or absence from God, is an opportunity to grow in our trust in Jesus and to see Him more clearly?