70. How will they react to this good news?

JESUS IS ALIVE

This Thursday evening, everything seems over. It’s like a big defeat. The disciples are devastated. They have lost their Lord, their Friend. They witnessed His atrocious suffering and His death on the cross. And what’s more this terrible final moment when His body was laid in a tomb, closed by a huge stone, a kind of cave dug into the rock. Their sadness is immense. Where are all these unforgettable days spent with Him, all his miracles and all His words of encouragement? Now there’s only emptiness, confusion, the victory of death. What will they do? There’s no way out. It’s the most horrible day they’ve lived. Without wasting time, the next morning, the religious leaders present themselves to Pilate. – This Jesus had declared that He would rise again after three days! So order that the sepulchre be watched. We don’t want his disciples to come and take His body and make everyone believe that he is risen! – Do it yourself! Answers Pilate. To ensure absolute security, they seal the huge stone that closes the entrance to the sepulcher and have it watched over by soldiers. Women prepare spices and perfumes to embalm the body of Jesus, according to the custom at that time. On Saturday they rest, it is the Sabbath. But the next morning, it is barely daylight when they set off. They go to sepulcher carrying spices and perfumes. It’s Easter Sunday. – How are we going to enter the sepulcher? They say to each other. Who will roll the stone for us? They don’t know what has just happened. The earth quake and an angel descended from heaven. He is bright as lightning and dressed in a garment as white as snow. He rolled away the stone. The guards are so terrified, they look dead. Not only do they face an earthquake but they are in the presence of an angel of God; the sepulcher is wide open and there is no one in it! They decide to go and warn the religious leaders The women approach the sepulcher. – Oh! The stone is rolled away. What does that mean? They enter. – The body of Jesus is no longer there! They exclaim distraught. – Do not be afraid! The angel says to them. You are Looking for Jesus who was crucified but he is not here he is risen. Remember, he told you so. Now go quickly and tell his disciples and Peter that He awaits them in Galilee. That’s where you’ll see Him. With joy, they run to bring the news to the disciples. – Jesus is risen! Jesus is risen! We are coming from the sepulcher. His body is no longer there! We saw an angel. – Come! Come! But, what are you talking about now! You must have dreamed! Peter and John dash off and run as fast as they can. Quite out of breath, John arrives first. He stops in front of the sepulcher. – Yes, the stone is removed! He says in amazement. Peter joins him. He enters the sepulcher. The bands of fabric that enveloped the body of Jesus are rolled up and laid on the ground, and the linen that had been put on his face, well folded, is found a bit further. John enters in his turn. They both watch, amazed. Very upset, they walk back. John believes that Jesus is truly risen. One of the women comes back on her own. She is crying near the tomb. She sees two angels, dressed in white. – Why are you crying? One of them asks. – They took away my Lord and no one told us where they have put him. She feels someone behind her. She turns around and sees a man. – He must be the gardener, she says to herself. He may know who took the body of Jesus. – Why are you crying? Asks the stranger. Who are you looking for? – If you took Him away please tell me where you put it! – Mary! He says to her. She recognizes the voice of Jesus! – Master! She cries, bowing down. – Go and find my brothers, the disciples, Jesus says to her, and tell them that I am alive and that I am going up to heaven to My God and your God, to My Father and your Father. She jumps for joy. She saw Jesus! He is alive! – Come on Mary! Say the disciples. How do you want people to believe you! It’s not possible! He is dead, we saw him! At the palace, the religious leaders are informed by the guards of the resurrection of Jesus. What will they do? – We cannot deny the fact, they say to each other but we absolutely must not let people learn it! We’re going to give the guards a lot of money! – Take this! They say to them, it is for you and you will say that His disciples came in the middle of the night to remove the body while you were sleeping. And this is how soldiers are paid to spread lies and deceive people. But that doesn’t change the truth, Jesus is risen. The disciples find it difficult to believe but not for long. This is what we will see in our next story.

1, 2 3, 4 AND YOU AND ME! Jesus died on the cross and then was put in the tomb, but death could not keep him. God raised him up, He is the Son of God, still alive today. I do not know how you react to this good news. Maybe like the women. They jumped with joy, their Lord is alive! Or like the disciples, they did not believe it yet but that will change soon. Get ready to listen or read more in our next broadcast “1, 2, 3 STORY TIME”. You can also find it at the end of the Gospels.

4, 3, 2, 1 AND WE PARENTS! If Jesus had remained in the tomb, what would have happened? Nothing in particular! His death on the cross would not have brought us anything; but by raising Him up, God shows all men that Jesus is truly His Beloved Son and that He accepts His sacrifice for our forgiveness, our salvation and that of our children. By rereading all these passages from the gospel, our faith is strengthened and our joy renewed.