JESUS APPEARS TO sT. mARY mAGDALENE
2012 April - wk 4 (Grade 3)
Lesson
· When Jesus was suffering on the cross on Friday afternoon, some of the women who loved Him stood by His side: St. Mary (His mother) St. Mary Magdalene.
· After Jesus died, these women went home in total darkness & sadness.
· Joseph, a rich man who also loved Jesus, asked for permission from Pilate to take the Lord’s body down for burial.
· Joseph & another good man Nicodemus lowered the Body, and wrapped Him in a shroud.
· They placed Him in a new tomb carved in the rock. They then rolled a big stone in the entrance to close the tomb; it was a big heavy stone that took 3 strong men!
· The Pharisees who crucified Jesus went to the Governor: “This Jesus told His disciples that He can rise after 3 days, please make sure the tomb is well sealed so His disciples won’t come to steal His body & tell lies”.
· Pilate told them: “You go and seal it and guard it yourselves”, so they did.
· Very early Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene another friend also named Mary, were taking spices perfumes to the tomb to anoint the Body of Jesus as a sign of love respect.
· They were wondering who could help them roll away the BIG stone, which took 3 strong men on Friday.
· But when they arrived at the tomb, suddenly there was an earthquake. An angel descended from heaven and rolled way the stone and sat on it.
· The angel appeared like lightning and his clothing as white as snow.
· The guards were so scared they were like dead men!
· The angel said to the 2 women: “Don’t be afraid, for I know you are seeking Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen as He had said. See the place where the Lord laid. 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.”
· She quickly ran home with fear and joy to tell the disciples. St. Peter & St. John ran back with Mary and saw the empty tomb, and the linen cloths that had wrapped Jesus now folded up neatly. They went home sad & did not yet understood that Jesus had risen.
· Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. When she stooped down to look inside the tomb, she saw 2 angels in white, one sitting at the head & the other at the feet where Jesus was laid.
· “Woman, why are you weeping?” they asked. “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him”.
· As she turned around she saw Jesus standing there, He asked her: “Woman why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”
· Mary didn’t recognize our Lord, and thought He was a gardener: “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and will take Him away”.
· Jesus called her by her name: “Mary!” She turned and said to Him: “Rabboni!” (Teacher). Mary is now sure that Jesus had risen from the dead as He said.
· “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God’”.
· Mary Magdalene went home and told the disciples what the Lord told her, with time with complete faith that she had seen the Lord, and that He truly had risen.
Verse of lesson
“He is not here; for He is risen” Matthew 28:6
Discussions
1) What does Easter mean?
a. Easter celebrates the Lord’s Resurrection (rising from the dead)
b. The true meaning of Easter is not to celebrate chocolate eggs, candies, or chocolate bunnies.
c. We share in the victory of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, and have the power to defeat sin (our old way of life)
2) Why did Mary Magdalene not recognize Jesus?
a. She was too deep in her sadness & despair, and did not “look up” at the Lord with her eyes of faith
b. Our Lord had the new beautiful, resurrected & glorified body, different than the body He had before His crucifixion
c. Other disciples who also didn’t recognize Jesus … John 21:4, “But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus”
d. And to 2 disciples in Emmaus … Luke 24:15, “So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him” … one of them was St. Luke the physician.
3) How did Jesus get Mary’s attention?
a. He called her by her name, to get her to “look up” at Him
4) Why did Jesus tell Mary not to “cling” (hold on) to Him?
a. He wanted Mary to let go of her emotions (the deep grief that had blinded her)
b. He needed her to be strong in faith because He had a job for her: to tell the other disciples of His resurrection
5) What prevents us from recognizing Jesus’ voice?
a. Worldly distractions – money, work, greed …
b. Pride or lack of humility
c. Lack of love
d. Bad habits
6) How does Jesus call us by our name today?
a. He speaks through Abouna, mom & dad, teachers … when they remind us to:
i. Be good
ii. To stop a bad habit
iii. To pray & read the Bible
iv. To forgive
… So listen to them & wake up!
This Week …
· Listen to the Lord calling you & “look up” at the Lord …
o Be obedient to Abouna, mom & dad when they remind you to pray, confess, read the Bible, to be nice to your brother/sister …
o Don’t look “down” & be busy in your worries, sadness, despair … “look up” at the Lord with prayers & trust that He will solve your problems