Jesus Dies and Rises Again

It was the week of Passover, the great feast when God's people remember how God set them free from Egypt. Jesus was in Jerusalem with his twelve apostles.

On the evening of the feast, Jesus ate a special supper with them. He took bread, thanked God, broke it and gave it to them, and he told them it was his body, given for them. Then he took a cup of wine and told them it was his blood, which would seal a new covenant, a new promise between God and his people. He asked them to keep doing this to remember him. Catholics believe that at every Mass the bread and wine truly become Jesus himself, his body and blood, just as he said.

After supper, Jesus went to a garden on the Mount of Olives to pray. He was very sad, but he told his Father that he would do whatever the Father wanted. Then Judas, one of the twelve, led a crowd there to arrest him.

Peter followed, staying far behind. Three times, people asked if he knew Jesus, and three times, out of fear, Peter said no. Then Jesus turned and looked at him, and Peter cried, because he loved Jesus.

Some leaders who were against Jesus brought him to Pilate, the Roman governor. Pilate found nothing wrong with him, but he gave in and let Jesus be put to death on a cross. Jesus forgave the people who hurt him. A man dying next to him asked Jesus to remember him, and Jesus promised that he would be with him that very day in paradise. In the afternoon, Jesus trusted his life to his Father and died. A kind man named Joseph laid his body in a stone tomb.

Early on Sunday morning, some women who loved Jesus brought sweet spices to the tomb. The stone had been rolled away, and Jesus' body was gone! Two men in shining clothes told them that Jesus was not dead anymore. He had risen, just as he said he would.

That same day Jesus walked with two of his friends on a road and ate with them. Then he came to all his friends, showed them his hands and feet, and even ate some fish. He was really alive! Later he blessed them and went up to heaven, and they went back to Jerusalem full of joy.

Jesus died for us because he loves us, and he rose again to give us new life.