The Easter Story

I woke up on Easter Sunday feeling elated. I jumped out of bed, got changed, and opened my Bible. Then I sat down in the armchair in my room and began to read. I read how Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. They were devastated. Suddenly a violent earthquake shook the earth because an angel had come down from heaven and had rolled away the stone from the tomb!

I looked up from my Bible and thought. How I wished I could have been there when the women saw the empty tomb. Suddenly, an earthquake shook my room! I began to spin very fast and my room became a blur around me. I felt as though someone was squeezing me though a very tight rubber tire. My breath was leaving me, I was going to die! Then, as suddenly as it had started, it was over, and my feet touched ground. I gulped in fresh air and looked around me. I was no longer in my bedroom, but on a dirt path surrounded by bushes. I looked up and there wasn’t my ceiling, but a bright cornflower blue morning sky, with fluffy white clouds scattered over it. Then, I heard voices. I looked around quickly and saw three women weeping bitterly and carrying baskets. The woman in the middle was crying the most and leaning on the other two. Her basket was shaking violently and great fat tears were soaking her black tunic. I looked down and saw that I was also wearing a tunic. It was dark brown and felt light and smooth on my skin. Then the first lady spoke.

“Mary, Mary! Let’s just get to the tomb and we can put the spices on Jesus’ body.” She said soothingly, although tears were also streaming from her eyes.

I gasped. Jesus? Had I gone back in time? Was this Mary, the mother of Jesus? Could it possibly be? I ran up to the ladies.

“Excuse me, what day is it today?” I asked politely.

“What day? Why it is Sunday!” The lady on the far right answered. “It is the festival of the first-fruits! Although none of us feel like celebrating as you can see.” She gestured towards the others. “Now, if you will excuse us, we have to visit a tomb.”

And she guided the others past me. My heart was racing fast. So it was true! I had travelled back in time! I waited a few minutes till the women had rounded the bend, then followed them. When they came back into sight I hid behind a bush for a bit, then carried on. After about ten minutes, we rounded a corner and I gasped. Set into the hillside, was Jesus’ tomb. A great, round stone was rolled in front of it. Two guards were stationed on either side of the tomb to protect it. At this sight, the three women burst into renewed sobs. Salome, the lady that had spoken to me, put out a hand and rested it on Mary’s shoulder. Mary Magdalene was about to do the same, when a violent earthquake shook the earth. Mary the mother of Jesus shrieked and fell to the ground and the other women fell next to her. I fell down too. Suddenly a blinding light pierced the air around us and I shielded my eyes in fright. After a few moments, I looked up from between my fingers and peered out from behind the bush I was hiding in. An angel was sitting on the stone, which had been rolled away! Light radiated from him in waves and I could not stand up.  The guards that were standing by the tomb entrance were terrified and fell to the ground, appearing to be dead. Then the angel spoke.

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who has been crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

The women looked at each other and crept forwards towards the tomb. They stepped gingerly inside it, and saw for themselves Jesus’ empty linen cloths, and knew that he had risen. The women skipped outside and ran back to the path, going to tell the disciples. I waited for them to leave, then I went to the tomb to see inside it. There were linen cloths on the ground, empty. My heart skipped a beat as I ran back outside and followed the ladies. They were walking along the path quickly, conversing in whispers, although I was the only one there to hear them. Their voices were excited and joyful, but at the same time, I could tell that they were afraid as well. Suddenly, Jesus appeared in front of them! The women gasped and stopped short. I stopped as well, a little way behind them, concealed behind an olive tree.

“Greetings.” Jesus said.

The women ran up to him and fell on their knees in the dust, clasping his feet and worshipping him. Then Jesus said to them,

“Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

The women got up. Then they walked around Jesus and ran down the path, praising God.

There was a sudden trembling beneath my feet, although Jesus did not seem to notice. Then I felt as though I was being squeezed and my breath was leaving me. I was spinning on the spot and the ground left me. Then, it was over. My feet touched the carpet of my bedroom and I breathed in the air. What an adventure! The Easter story had never been so real to me before. In fact, it would never be more real.