For the April Junior Saints online children’s section of the Catholic Standard, students are invited to draw a picture of Jesus, and write about what Easter means to them. 

Drawing by Daniel Delaney, third grader at St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda

St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda

 "To me, Easter feels and is special. It is the day Jesus rose from the dead, and we celebrate that and it means to always walk in Jesus’ footsteps and set a good example. Always do what Jesus wants us to do.” – Dia Bautista, fourth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda

Drawing by Jack Stanek, eighth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda

“Easter is a great holiday, and it is very meaningful to me. I learned it was the day Jesus rose… It shows that Jesus is amazing and died on the cross for us. Easter means so much and shows how amazing Jesus is. He loves us and actually died for us. If there was only one person in the world, Jesus still would die on the cross.” – Ali Bautista, sixth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda

Drawing by Ridge Carey, eighth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda

“To me, Easter is spending time with your family because of the sacrifices made by Jesus.” – Drawing and writing by Joseph Obermeier, sixth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda

“Easter is a special time that I can spend with my family. We always have brunch with my grandparents, and this year was very special because we don't see them often because of Covid. I feel Jesus's presence throughout the day and always remember that the day is about him and his sacrifice for both you and me.” – Drawing and writing by Brooke Hughes, , sixth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda

“What Easter means to me is seeing my family because I get to go to my cousins house and see my grandma, grandpa, and my cousins!” – Drawing and writing by Abby Mitchell, fourth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda

“To me Easter means family. I always have brunch with my family on Easter morning, and it is always the highlight of my day. I got to talk to my grandparents in person, and I could not have wished for a better Easter.” –Drawing and writing by Alexandra Hughes, sixth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda

Drawing by Michael Shewaye, second grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

St. Augustine Catholic School and Parish, Washington, D.C.

“To me, the Resurrection was a symbol for new life. That’s why I think Easter (the day of the Resurrection) is in spring, because baby animals are born and flowers bloom. So it just kind of makes you think more about how Jesus sacrificed himself so we could go to heaven.

“Which when we think about what we would do if we were in Jesus’s shoes, most of us would not want to sacrifice ourselves because we have not done anything wrong for people who would choose a thief over me. Which makes it even more brave of Jesus to do it. Anyway, to me the Resurrection shows me how even though Jesus is not here with us in the flesh, he’s waiting for us in heaven.” – Kale Finley, fourth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

Drawing by Bethelem Barka, third grader at St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

“I think the Resurrection meant that God would do anything for us. I think that because he sent his only son down to Earth and let him die just for us. God made everything happen for a reason, and he made the Resurrection happen for a reason. I also think the Resurrection means that Jesus would also do anything for us, as Jesus is our Lord and he went down to Earth with his father’s wishes and died by being nailed to a cross. Jesus and God would do anything for us, anything! One more thing, I think the Resurrection was for is so that people believe in God.” – Domini Bradford, fourth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

 “To me, the Resurrection means life, rebirth and no matter what, Jesus is always with you. Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me’ (John 14:6). Believing that the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead is essential for Christians. Merely recognizing that He died for our sins is not enough. We must accept His Resurrection in order to receive eternal life. Christ paid our debt, but His sacrifice on the cross means nothing if He possesses no power over the grave. In vanquishing evil and death, the Lord made our salvation possible…” – Abigail Xavier, fourth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

Drawing by Sophia Jackson, third grader at St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

“The Resurrection of the Lord was when Jesus died and three days later, he rose up. What that means to me is, always believe and have faith in God and trust in him… I have learned to always believe in God, even in situations that you think are impossible to fix.” – Krubael Gebreslassie, fourth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington

“The Resurrection means a day to rejoice, because our Lord and Savior has risen and went to His Father to love the world from above… The Resurrection also means that Jesus died but then rose from the dead for all of us. Jesus has risen from the dead so He can provide wisdom and knowledge to us in spirit, like today and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic era…” – Makai Rubin, fourth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington

“…Jesus went through so much and gave His life for us. Jesus cares and loves us. Even when we make so many mistakes, he gives us chance after chance. He died for our sins so our souls can be saved…” – Sarah Sockwell, fourth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington

Drawing by Tsion Alemayehu, third grader at St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

“I think it (the Resurrection) means that there is hope! We will die but not all go to Hell. This is because of Jesus and His death for all who have trusted their lives to Him. Jesus was raised from the dead to be the Savior of the faithful… Jesus defeated death with His sacrifice and then (His) Resurrection.” – Kaleb Tolla, fourth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington

“The Resurrection means that Jesus loves me and comes again so He can save us as He did once. Jesus will help to stop sin. Jesus has spoken and said he will return and will help people in need.” – Abem Samuel, fourth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington

Drawing by Ella Lutalo, seventh grade, religious education program, St. Augustine Parish, Washington, D.C.

“What Jesus’s resurrection means to me is the whole Christian faith. Without Jesus resurrecting from the dead, everything would be different. We wouldn’t know that there is life after this. We wouldn’t be able to believe in God if Jesus died and just never came back. We would know Jesus worked miracles and saved lives but we wouldn’t know that God has the power to raise people from the dead, and we wouldn’t know that heaven  and eternal life exists.

“If everything ended at Jesus’s death, we wouldn’t have faith or hope in God or the right minds to do what is right and live like Jesus lived. We would find no point in obeying his commandments, because it would all be for nothing if when we die, there is no life after. 

“Jesus’s resurrection means to me that there is hope and a reason to live the way Jesus lived and being able to have the peace of mind knowing he exists and is real, and we all have a chance to have eternal life with him.” – Ella Lutalo, seventh grade, religious education program, St. Augustine Parish, Washington, D.C.

Drawing by Kaodichukwu Okoye, seventh grade, St. Anthony Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

St. Anthony Catholic School, Washington 

“To me, Easter means a time to re-establish yourself. So if you have anything nagging at you, just let go of it and start fresh.” – Ava Thayer, seventh grade, St. Anthony Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

On All Saints Day in 2019 at St. Anthony Catholic School in Washington, Kamryn McIntyre, then a kindergarten student, dressed up as St. Veronica, holding a veil with an image of Jesus on it. (Photo by Paul Fetters for St. Anthony Catholic School)

“Easter means so much more than Jesus getting crucified to me. Easter to me means Jesus carrying the sins of the world, dying on a cross and raising from the dead. Easter is a time of celebration that Christ will always live.” – Drawing and writing by Destiny Dudley, sixth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown, Maryland

St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“Easter for me means a time to rejoice, because Jesus has risen from the dead. It goes from complete darkness and sadness because Jesus was tortured and killed, to light and joyfulness. This means a lot for me and everyone. He suffered a very tragic death of being scourged and crucified just so we could go to heaven. It shows the amount of love Jesus has for us.” – Luke Cross, sixth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown, Maryland

 “Easter means to me that Jesus has risen from the dead. He has risen from the dead to save us. Jesus died and rose from the dead and went to heaven just for us.” – Trent Williams, sixth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

 “To me, Easter is the time to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ and the fulfillment of God’s covenant. Also Easter is a time of new life. The trees start to grow their leaves back and flowers start to grow. It becomes warmer, but there’s lots of rain. That is what Easter means to me.” – Shannon Wenzlick, sixth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

Drawing by Angelina O’Steen, sixth grader at St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“What Easter means to me is that I have my friends and family to help me teach kids in my neighborhood about Jesus, how he rose from the dead on the third day and how he will always love us. My family and I always have fun to go and celebrate with my grandparents. I will love the Lord with all my soul. I will keep preaching.” – Hayden Watts, sixth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“To me, Easter isn’t about getting loads of candy or obsessing over rabbits. To me, Easter is so much more than that. To me, Easter means celebrating Jesus Christ’s Resurrection. During Holy Week, it’s always nice to reflect on God’s goodness for us by sending His Son to die on the cross for our sins. On Easter, we celebrate Jesus rising from the dead, which should mean so much more to us than getting chocolate bunnies and going egg hunting. To me, Easter is celebrating Jesus’s life and reflecting on how He gave His life for us.” – Lydia Eppright, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“Easter is an important event to my family, because that is when we dedicate an entire day to remember what Jesus did to save us from sin. On Easter, we watch two movies, one about Moses receiving the Ten Commandments and the other about Jesus dying on the cross to save us from sin.” – Drawing and writing by Aleksandra Young, sixth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“Easter is the most important day of the year in the Catholic Church. It is the day Jesus rose from the dead. Through His Resurrection, He fulfilled the Scripture. His death is our salvation, saving us from sin and giving us a chance at eternal life in Heaven. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice to show His love for us and His Father. Easter is a time of rejoicing, for Jesus rose from the dead, and we are saved from sin.” – Julie Perriello, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“Easter to me means a time of year that we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus, family time and a time of happiness. Easter brings me closer to God and gives me time to appreciate all that I have... Easter is also a time where we appreciate those who are close to us… Happiness comes from living with God forever, He saved us!” – Makayla Cross, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
 

“Easter for me means that all of us are preparing for Jesus’s coming. To me, it also means spending time with family and friends. My dad will be going overseas for three years, and this year I get to spend some time with him before he leaves. Easter is about having fun and spending the good times with loved ones.” – Makayla Estrada, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“Easter to me means that we too can rise. On Easter Jesus proved that not even death can conquer God. Easter showed me that if death can’t even conquer God, why should I let sin conquer me? I hope that when I reach my inevitable death, that I will rise to my home above to live in eternal happiness with God forever. Easter to me means hope. It shows me hope that we can rise up past the hardest things, even death.” – Chloe Barnett, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

 “To me, Easter means that Jesus rose from the dead. It means that He opened the gates of Heaven. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins… Going to church or Mass on Easter is how I show my love for Him. But it’s not only that. I show my love by being kind, loving and caring for others. If Jesus would die for us, whey can’t we be good to Him? Easter means happiness, joy and rejoicing. We rejoice all of these things that He has done for us.” – Autumn Destringer, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“Easter is a very important time. It is so important, because it is when Jesus rose from the dead and saved us from our sins. I love Easter day, because we get to go to Mass, then spend time with family all day. I also love preparing for Easter during Lent by reading more Scripture and growing closer to God. Jesus’s suffering and death show how much love He has for us. By His death, He opened the gates of Heaven for us all, and that is why Easter is super amazing and important. We need to focus on celebrating Jesus every Easter because He saved us all.” – Carleigh Watson, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“To me, Easter is the season where I grow in faith the most. Easter means new life and new hope for me. Jesus gave me new life, hope, faith and everything anyone could ever need. Easter brings me light when I’m in the dark. Jesus is the light in my darkness. He gave his everything for us, and I will worship him forever.” – Drawing and writing by Kaylee Frick, sixth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

St. Columba School, Oxon Hill

 Drawing by Michael Hernandez, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill, Maryland

May Junior Saints

In May, we honor Mary and we also celebrate Mother’s Day. For the May Junior Saints online children’s section of the Catholic Standard, students are invited to draw a picture and write about Mary or their mother. The drawings and writings should be emailed to mark@cathstan.org by May 11 to Mark Zimmermann, the Catholic Standard's editor, and they should include the name, grade and school or parish of the student printed clearly.