Easter

Term 2 commenced with us gathering as a faith community in the hall for our Easter Prayer Celebration. Year 6 led us through the story of Easter, when Mary Magdalene and some other women went before dawn to the tomb where Jesus was laid to find the guards asleep and Jesus’ body not there. The women responded to this news by running to the disciples who understandably had a difficult time believing them and had to go to the tomb to see for themselves.

Each of the four Gospels tells us that Jesus' empty tomb was first discovered by women. This is notable because in first-century Jewish society women could not serve as legal witnesses. Mary runs to alert Simon Peter and the beloved disciple. Simon Peter and the beloved disciple race to the tomb, presumably to verify Mary's report.

The beloved disciple arrives first but does not enter the tomb until after Simon Peter. This detail paints a vivid picture, as does the detail provided about the burial cloths. Some scholars believe that the presence of the burial cloths in the tomb offers evidence to the listener that Jesus' body had not been stolen (it is understood that grave robbers would have taken the burial cloths together with the body).

 Although our own Easter celebrations may feel like they occurred some time ago, we are in fact still in the early weeks of the Liturgical Season of Eastertide. Eastertide is the period of 50 days, spanning from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday and is symbolised by the colour white in the Catholic Church. In the weeks ahead, the Gospel readings will show us how the disciples came to believe in Jesus' Resurrection through his appearances to them.

Student Prayer Focus

Our Student Prayer Focus this week centres the events of Easter through hearing the scriptures and students responding to the question:

What do I wonder about Easter?