First Guard
(very frightened) What was that noise? (Pointing to
ANGEL) And WHAT is THAT?
Second Guard
(Shaking in his shoes) I-I-I d-d-don
't
know. Let's get out of here. (They
exit hurriedly.)
A Group of Women enter slowly, talking among
themselves. Women may enter from rear of church or audience.
Mary
It
's the least we
can do for Him - to anoint His body with spices.
Salome
I just wish we could
've
done it on the evening of His death. It would have been so much better
then. I know Joseph and Nicodemus prepared His body for burial, but I
want to do something for Him, too.
Mary Magdalene
How are we going to get along without our Lord? It's
so unfair.
Joanna
I know how you feel, but right now I'm
wondering how we'll get the stone
away from the tomb. It will be much too heavy for us to move.
Salome
Maybe together the four of us can roll it away.
Mary
Don't be foolish,
Salome. That stone is much too heavy for us to move.
Mary Magdalene
(Astounded) Look! The stone is rolled away. Who
could have done that?
Women all run to tomb and then stop in shock
and fear.
Mary Magdalene
He's not here!
Someone has stolen His body and taken it away! (She begins to sob.)
The Angel appears
and the women are terrified.
Mary
Look!
Angel
Do not be afraid. I know that you seek Jesus who was
crucified, but He is not here. He is risen, as He said. Come, see the
place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that
He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into
Galilee; there you will see Him.
Mary Magdalene
I don't
understand. How can this be? I watched as they nailed Him to the
cross, and I saw Him die. I saw them take Him down, and place Him in
the tomb. My Lord is dead. How can you say that He's
alive?
Angel
(Patiently) It's
true. He is risen. Go, tell the disciples.
Mary, Salome, Joanna
(Joyously) He's
alive! He is risen. Come, Mary, let's
go.
The three women go,
praising God, and shouting He's
alive! Mary Magdalene
follows behind.
The four women exit.
The two guards enter
--followed by Caiaphas
First Guard
I tell you, it happened just as we said. There was an
earthquake, and then we saw a man all dressed in white, and his face
was all lit up like lightning or something.
Second Guard
And he came and rolled away the stone, and the tomb
was empty!
Caiaphas
You two are just imagining all of this. You probably
had a bad dream. Either that or you're
both drunk.
First Guard
We are NOT drunk. Surely you can tell that by looking
at us.
Caiaphas
Then it must have been a dream.
Second Guard
But the tomb is empty. The body is gone, I tell you!
Caiaphas
If the tomb is empty, his disciples must have stolen
his body while you slept. He predicted that He'd
rise again on the third day. So they have stolen the body so they can
claim that He's come back to life.
First Guard
Maybe he did come back to life.
Caiaphas
That's absurd. The
council has discussed this matter, and there is no way that can be
possible. (Draws out bag of money from his cloak) Here. You two take
this money, and tell everyone that the disciples stole His body while
you slept.
Second Guard
But how do you explain the man in white - the angel?
Caiaphas
That was just part of your dream.
Second Guard
But we weren't
asleep. We had the night watch, and we did not go to sleep.
Caiaphas
Of course you did. That's
how the disciples were able to steal the body.
Second Guard
But we would be in serious trouble if we went to sleep
during our watch.
Caiaphas
Don't worry about
that. The council and I will see to it that nothing happens to you.
Just tell everyone that the disciples came during the night and stole
him away while you were sleeping. And forget all about the angel you
THINK you saw. The disciples rolled the stone away when they took the
body. Now get going. (The three men exit.)
The women re-enter and meet Peter and John.
Mary Magdalene
Oh, Peter, they have taken the Lord away from the
tomb, and I do not know where they have lain Him.
Mary
He is risen. The angel said so.
Salome
Mary's right. That's
what the angel said.
Mary Magdalene
But it can't be
so.
Peter
(To John) Let's go
see for ourselves. (They start walking toward tomb.)
Joanna
Come, Mary, let's
go tell the other disciples.
Mary Magdalene
No, I can't. I'm
going with Peter and John. You all go ahead. (She follows Peter and
John. Other three women exit.)
(Peter and John run to tomb. John gets to tomb first,
and stops outside and looks in. Peter comes up behind and goes on into
tomb.)
Peter
Look, John! Here are the linen cloths He was wrapped
in. (Picks up handkerchief from around
His head) And look! Here's
the handkerchief from around His head. He's
not here!
John
He is indeed alive! He has risen from the dead!
Hallelujah! He's alive! Praise
God.
Let's go tell the
others, Peter. (THEY leave.)
Mary Magdalene
(She stands outside the tomb, weeping. Then she turns
around and sees Jesus, but she does not recognize Him.)
Jesus
Woman, why are you crying? Whom are you seeking?
Mary Magdalene
Sir, are you the gardener? If You have carried my Lord
away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.
Jesus
Mary!
Mary Magdalene
Rab-boni! (She falls at His feet to worship Him.)
Jesus
Don't cling to me,
for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers and tell
them, I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.
Mary Magdalene
Do I have to go? I'd
like to just stay here with you.
Jesus
Yes, Mary. You must go and tell the others so they
will believe. Tell them you have seen me, and I'm
alive. I have risen from the dead.
Mary runs away, and Jesus disappears.
Peter appears on stage and sings He's
Alive by Don Francisco
OPTIONAL ENDING:
After Peter's
song, the women and the disciples walk back through the aisle of
church, shouting HE's
ALIVE. Praise God! Hallelujah!
HE IS RISEN!
Copyright
1998 Nancy Hedrick Harper
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