Welcome. It's Wednesday, 22nd April 2020.

It's Mr Keep here. Good morning, everyone. May the Lord be with you.

We'll start with a song. Over the Easter holiday the teachers have missed helping you every day, so today I have picked a new song called ‘Feels Good’. Not only is it really catchy, but it reminds us of our school vision – One Community, Learning & Growing Together , Sharing the Love of God. I hope that it helps everyone feel like we have come back together again as a school community.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJxVHzARMmE

Our thought for the day

Look at this painting, which is called The Empty Tomb by the Ethiopian artist, Nebiyu Assefa.

What can you see? What do you notice?

Now read the story below. This is the story that Christians remember on Easter Sunday. When you've read the story, I’m going to ask you to look at the picture again and see if you notice anything extra.

The Story:

On the third day after Jesus had been crucified and whilst it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the garden tomb where Jesus had been laid. As she drew nearer, she noticed, with alarm, that the huge stone that had been in front of the entrance had been rolled away!

Bewildered, Mary raced back to the disciples who immediately returned with her to see for themselves. It was true, the tomb was empty and Jesus’ body was no longer there!

Shocked and confused but realising there was nothing to be done, the men went home again but Mary stayed. She had never felt more alone and she wept bitterly.

Bending over once more, Mary looked into the cave. To her amazement, she saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been.

“Why are you crying?” they asked.

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

At this moment, Mary turned and saw Jesus standing there. At first, she did not recognise him but then he spoke her name, “Mary”. Her face lit up, her tears turned to joy and her heart was ready to burst. She had seen him with her own eyes, Jesus was alive!

(from https://www.imaginor.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Journey-into-Easter.pdf)

Hands always play an important part in Nebiyu’s art. Go back to the picture and see what you notice about Jesus’ hands and feet in this picture? Why do you think it might have been important for Mary to see these?

I wonder what you did to celebrate Easter? Did you get an Easter egg? An Easter egg can remind us of the empty tomb, Jesus didn’t stay dead, he came back to life. Christians celebrate this joy at Easter time.

A prayer for today

Let’s think today about ways in which we can continue to remember the joy which Christians celebrate at Easter.

Try to say your own short prayer today. Try to think about things which you are grateful for in your life and the life of your family, even in times when there doesn’t seem to be very much good news to share.

You could thank God for your friends and your classmates who have come back together to keep on learning together.