Told to be read as a family. Inspired by A Short History of Religion in The Catechism of Saint Pius X.
As Passover approached, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey, fulfilling the prophecies. The people came out to welcome him with joy: they spread cloaks along the way, waved palm and olive branches, and hailed him as the awaited Messiah.
That enthusiasm increased the hatred of those who were already seeking to eliminate him. The chief priests, the elders, and the scribes gathered at the house of the high priest Caiaphas and decided to seize him secretly, to avoid an uprising among the people.
Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles, agreed to hand him over in exchange for thirty pieces of silver. Greed opened his heart to betrayal and set in motion the events of the Passion.
On the day when the Jews celebrated the Passover meal, Jesus gathered with his apostles in the place that Peter and John had prepared following his instructions.
During that last supper, the Lord performed one of the greatest acts of his love: he instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist, leaving his Church the permanent memorial of his sacrifice and his presence among the faithful.
After the supper, Jesus went out to the garden of Gethsemane. There he prayed to the Father with profound surrender, contemplating the suffering he was about to face. His anguish was so intense that he sweated blood, and an angel came to strengthen him.
Shortly after, Judas appeared with an armed group. The kiss with which he greeted Jesus was the sign to identify him. The disciples fled in fear, and Jesus was arrested and taken before Annas and then before Caiaphas. That same night the Sanhedrin declared him worthy of death, and he was insulted, beaten, and humiliated by his guards.
That night, the apostle Peter denied knowing Jesus three times. When the Lord looked at him, he understood the gravity of his fault, repented sincerely, and wept for his sin for the rest of his life.
At dawn he was brought before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. Although he recognized his innocence, Pilate yielded to the pressure of the crowd. He tried to release him by offering a choice between Jesus and Barabbas, but the people asked for the criminal's freedom. He was also sent before Herod Antipas, who mocked him and sent him back to Pilate.
Finally, Jesus was scourged. The soldiers placed a crown of thorns, a purple robe, and a reed in his hand to ridicule him as if he were a king. Even so, the hatred of his enemies was not calmed, and Pilate ended up condemning him to die by crucifixion.
Jesus carried the cross to Mount Calvary, where he was nailed between two thieves. After several hours of intense suffering, he gave up his life to the Father, praying even for those who were crucifying him. After his death, a soldier pierced his side with a lance. Jn 19:34
The Blessed Virgin Mary remained by the cross with admirable strength, uniting the sorrow of her heart to the sacrifice of her Son.
At the moment of his death, extraordinary signs occurred:
Since it was Friday and the Sabbath rest was approaching, Jesus was taken down from the cross and placed in a new tomb. The authorities ordered it sealed and had guards posted to prevent anyone from removing the body.
However, at dawn on the first day of the week, the greatest event in history occurred: Jesus Christ rose gloriously. He appeared first to Mary Magdalene and then to his disciples, to strengthen their faith and confirm that he had conquered death. An ancient Christian tradition holds that he appeared first to his Blessed Mother.
For forty days he remained with his disciples. He explained the Kingdom of God to them in greater depth, confirmed their mission, and gave them his final instructions. Finally, gathered with them on the Mount of Olives, he blessed them and ascended visibly into heaven.
Following Jesus's command, the apostles remained gathered in prayer in the Upper Room, together with Mary.
Ten days later, on the feast of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon them in the form of tongues of fire. 🔥 From that moment they were transformed by the grace of God: they began to proclaim the Gospel with courage and spoke in various languages so that people from many nations could understand the message.
Saint Peter delivered a great speech explaining that Jesus was the promised Messiah, and that same day about three thousand people were baptized.
Shortly after, following the healing of a man crippled from birth, Peter and John preached again, and about five thousand people embraced the faith. The Church began to grow rapidly in Jerusalem and throughout Judea.
The growth of the Church provoked a reaction from the religious authorities. The apostles were interrogated, threatened, and punished to make them stop preaching. They responded firmly:
Although they were imprisoned and mistreated, they continued proclaiming the Gospel. During this persecution, Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr, died stoned for bearing witness to his faith.
Far from stopping the Church's mission, these difficulties strengthened the courage of the believers, and the number of Christians continued to increase.
One of the greatest fruits of God's grace was the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. At first he had harshly persecuted Christians, but an encounter with Christ completely changed his life. From then on he was known as Paul and devoted all his strength to proclaiming the Gospel.
He traveled through numerous towns, founded Christian communities, and taught the faith to both Jews and Gentiles. He endured difficult journeys, imprisonments, persecutions, and many trials, but he never abandoned the mission he had received. His preaching, accompanied by the action of God, gave rise to many Churches.
He finally arrived in Rome, where he continued proclaiming Christ until he gave up his life for the faith during the persecution of Emperor Nero.
The Church preserves his letters, addressed to various communities. These writings remain a fundamental part of the New Testament and show the depth of his teaching and his love for Christ.
After proclaiming the Gospel in Judea, the apostles scattered to fulfill Jesus's command to preach to all nations.
Saint Peter first traveled to Antioch, where the disciples began to be called "Christians" for the first time. Later he moved to Rome, where he carried out his ministry as bishop and gave his life for Christ during Nero's persecution.
The Catholic Church recognizes Peter as the first Pope. His successors continue his mission as bishops of Rome, called to serve the entire Church while faithfully preserving the teaching received from Christ.
The other apostles remained united in the same faith and in communion with Peter. Wherever they proclaimed the Gospel, new Christian communities arose, and to guide them and ensure the continuity of the mission, they appointed bishops to continue the apostolic ministry.
Thus began the expansion of the Church throughout the world, bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to peoples of many languages and cultures.
What began beside a sealed tomb remains alive in every community that prays, believes, and proclaims. The same faith of the apostles reaches our home: it is now up to us to guard it and pass it on.
"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations." — Mt 28:19