A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (16:1-7)
When the Sabbath was over, Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint him. And very early in the morning on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. They were saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ But when they looked up they saw that the stone – for it was very big – had already been rolled back. On entering the tomb they saw a young man seated on the right-hand side clothed in a white robe, and they were amazed. But he said to them, ‘Do not be amazed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified: he has been raised, he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go and tell his disciples and Peter, “He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” ’
This is the oldest narrative account of the Easter kerygma. It identifies the women who went to the tomb: Mary of Magdala, Mary mother of James, and Salome. They were bringing spices to anoint the body of Jesus, an activity which could not have been done on the previous day which was a Sabbath. Thinking ahead they wonder who might be able to roll away the stone which sealed the tomb against predators, but on arrival they find the tomb open. A ‘young man’ in white, contrasting with the ‘angel of the Lord’ in Matthew and the ‘two men’ in Luke, interprets the empty tomb, declaring ‘he has been raised’ (egerthe). The passive verb points to an action of God: God has raised him. The young man then gives explicit instructions to go and tell the disciples, and Peter, who is singled out perhaps due to his leadership role. They are told that they will see Jesus in Galilee. Galilee was where things began, and the reference to Galilee concludes this account of the Jesus story.
Verse 8, arguably the last authentic verse of this gospel, is not included in the reading. It reads: And the women came out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and amazement had gripped them. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid (ephobounto gar). The liturgy omits this verse and ends on the positive note of promise that the disciples will see the Risen Jesus in Galilee.