Summary: Three women enter the garden tomb early on Easter Sunday morning, carring spices to embalm the body of Jesus but not knowing how they will be able to get into the tomb.
Style: Dramatic. Duration: 3min.
Actors: 3F, 1VO
Characters:
Mary Magdalene (MM)
Mary mother of James (MJ)
Salome (S)
Voice of Jesus (V of J)
Script
(The three women enter. MM and S are carrying cloths, and MJ is carrying a basket. Scripts could be pinned to the cloths, and inside the basket.)
S: Mary, this is hopeless. We've got all these spices and ointments for Jesus' body, and no way of getting in.
MM: We'll find a way. We've got to.
MJ: But it's so early – the sun's barely up. There'll be no one here who can help us.
S: And how will we know which tomb he's in?
MM: We'll know the place because of the huge stone at the entrance. And the armed guard. Huh! The Romans must be mighty scared of a dead man that they need to guard his tomb.
MJ: To stop him getting out??!!
S: More likely to stop us getting in. They don't want anybody stealing Jesus' body.
MM: Well at least we're not a threat. Thieves don't bring burial spices. (She suddenly breaks down – sobs…) Thieves...don't bring...burial spices.
(She falls to her knees)
MJ: Mary…. Mary! (Pulls MM to her feet, hugs her.) We know you loved him so much – we all did. We've got to be strong now he's gone.
S: Our dreams, our hopes, our everything… gone, shattered.
MJ: We thought he was the Messiah, the one who would deliver us.
MM: He was the Messiah – just not the way we understood. None of us understood, even when he tried to warn us that this would happen.
S: We were all the same. And since then we've been hiding like scared rats.
MM: (Determined) But we're not hiding now. Laying out the body might be a woman's work, but let us count it a privilege we can serve Jesus one last time.
S: I don't still know how we're going to shift that stone.
MJ: Maybe one of the soldiers will help us?
S: Yeah, right!!
MJ: Look… there's the tomb right over….
(She is interrupted by a loud burst of thunder. The three women scream.)
S: (shouts) No!
MJ: Run for your life!
(All women drop their bundles and S and MJ run off, leaving MM, who stands stunned. She then tentatively goes towards the mouth of the tomb, and looks inside.)
MM: (Astounded) Nothing! (stronger, almost hysterical) Nothing!! This is even worse! (She sobs again.)
V of J: Woman, why are you weeping?
MM: Because they have taken away my lord and I don't know where they have laid him.
V of J: Who are you seeking?
MM: My Lord, Jesus. Tell me where his body is and I will take him.
V of J: Mary!
(In wonder, MM realises that the voice is in fact that of Jesus. She slowly rises to her feet, and turns towards him. She takes a step, and reaches as if to embrace him.)
V of J: Don't hold me, Mary, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. But go to my brothers and sisters, my disciples, and tell them that I have risen from the dead. Yes, I really am alive.
MM: (softly) Alive! (stronger) Alive! (shouts) Alive! (She runs off, shouting) Peter, John… he's alive! Jesus is alive!
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© Copyright John McNeil 2017, all rights reserved. The script may not be reproduced, translated or copied in any medium, including books, CDs and on the Internet, without written permission of the author.
This play may be performed free of charge, on the condition that copies are not sold for profit in any medium, nor any entrance fee charged. In exchange for free performance, the author would appreciate being notified of when and for what purpose the play is performed. He may be contacted at:
YourKingdomCome