Resurrection Day

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large.

And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that He is going before you to Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.”

And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Mark 16:1-8 ESV

So, Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not going. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the line cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise from the dead.

John 20:3-9 ESV

Mary Magdalene and Me

“They have taken my Lord,”

A young woman cried,

“They have taken my Lord,

From the tomb on the hillside,

They have taken my Lord,

Who three days ago died.

Where have they taken my Lord?”

In the morning’s cool dawning,

She came to the tomb,

But His body was missing,

Then the silence was broken,

By a word—once spoken,

And she cried with joy,

“Rabonni!”

Death could not hold her Lord.

In the morning’s cool dawning,

I, too, see the tomb,

The stone sealed grave,

The gathering gloom,

Then, joy! I remember

That morn shone so bright,

What light!

Death could not hold my Lord.

“My Lord is alive!”

Across the centuries we cry,

“My Lord is alive!

He’s no longer in the tomb on the hillside,

My Lord is alive!

Who three days ago died.”

Death could not hold her Lord,

Or mine.

(c) Yolanda Lichty 2010