For the April Junior Saints online children’s section of the Catholic Standard, students were invited to draw a picture of Jesus, and write about what Easter means to them. This week's Junior Saints features drawings and writings by students from St. Pius X Regional School in Bowie.
“What Easter means to me is new beginnings. Every Easter is representing the resurrection of Christ, and the resurrection of Christ is representing a new beginning, and it is always good to start afresh and get closer to Jesus.” – Noah Jones, sixth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie, Maryland
“Easter to me is about the love of Jesus, returning that love to others, and thanking Jesus for showing us that love. Jesus died on the cross to save our sins, the sins of people he had not met before, the sins of people who did not even know him… We don’t deserve his love, but he gives it to us anyway because he loves us, because we are his Father’s children, because he is our Savior. So we need to return that love to others. Be kind just like Jesus was to us! We also need to thank him for that love. We didn’t earn it. Sometimes we act like we don’t even deserve it. It is a gift and privilege, so we need to be thankful and use that love to do great things.” – Drawing and writing by Maegan Adamu, seventh grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie, Maryland
“Easter means a time to give up your sins and be like Jesus. Easter is a time to take up your cross and follow Him. If we give up our sins to Jesus, we will be brought closer to Him… Easter tells us that with God all things are possible. Jesus could overcome death and rise from the grave, because with God, you can move mountains.” – Krystal Nkoronye, sixth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie, Maryland
Drawing by Dasia Gumapac, eighth grader, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“Easter means resurrection and renewal. It reminds us of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross to free us from sin. That’s what Easter means to me, a time of sacrifice and repenting. Just as Jesus prayed in the desert for 40 days, we can follow Jesus’s example by praying more and thanking God for all he has given us. That’s why we also celebrate Jesus’s ascension and resurrection. Easter is a time of love, and we should use this time to get closer to family and friends. We should also take this time to think about how we can be more like Jesus and his actions by reading the Scriptures and preaching the Gospels and sharing it with other people. Easter is also a time to give to others. Jesus gave his life, and we should give back to other people.” – Jordan Owens, sixth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie, Maryland
“…I think Jesus was very brave and caring and did what he had to do for us to live today and pray in his name and live in his name…” – Drawing and writing by Giselle Falcon, sixth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“For me, Easter is an opportunity to become a better person and to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Because first, we usually have (the sacrament of) Reconciliation at this time and get to relieve some weight off our shoulders. Secondly, we could be able to stop ourselves from distractions and things that aren’t healthy, because we have already been through that in Lent. Finally, it’s Jesus’s resurrection, so we should celebrate, because Jesus came back to life.” – Antonio Cabellon, sixth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie, Maryland
“Easter makes me feel so loved and special. Every year during Lent, I prepare myself for the returning of the Lord, and during that time I think about how Jesus sacrificed his life for us and then rose again on the third day. Easter to me means the returning of Christ and him giving his life for our sins. It means that Jesus loves us so much he went through torture and crucifixion for us and our sins, so Easter to me is all about love and sacrifice and how we look to God and ask for forgiveness.” – Alyssa Rottmann, sixth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie, Maryland
“Easter is a time I’ll always look forward to, no matter how old I am. Easter egg hunts have been a part of every Easter since I was born. For the past few years at our church, they even held one for the little kids. I just found out recently why we have Easter egg hunts – eggs and bunnies are symbols of new life. It makes sense now why we have Easter eggs and the Easter bunny. Now for this year’s Easter egg hunt, I’ll know why we use eggs.” – Drawing and writing by Allison Bogley, seventh grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie, Maryland
“Easter means to me that it is a time of new life. It is a time when plants and other living things begin to grow. It is also a time when Jesus was resurrected from the dead. I think the resurrection means new life because Jesus came back from the dead. Easter is a time when the weather gets warmer, and when new flowers begin to bloom. I think all these things represent new life.” – Nolan Wills, sixth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie, Maryland
“What Easter means to me is unity. During Easter, almost all of my family is together celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. We exchange gifts and remember what we gave up for Lent. We always attend Mass, and we spend lots of time together, and we play games and have lots of fun. Easter is a time for my family to remember how much everyone means to each other, and how much we share together.” – Nicholas Brown, seventh grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie, Maryland
“Easter is such a great, wonderful holiday. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. To me, Easter is a holiday for us to rejoice about Jesus and his resurrection. On Easter, my family normally celebrates together, but due to COVID-19, we sadly cannot. I think this gives us all an opportunity to come up with unique ways to rejoice about Jesus’s resurrection. I personally love Easter so much. I enjoy the Easter egg hunts and other fun activities. However, I enjoy celebrating Jesus more.” – Drawing and writing by Aliyah Thompson, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“Easter is a chance of new birth and a chance to start over again. Easter gives us a chance to think things through. It also allows us to think what can we do different in the rest of the year. We can reset ourselves and strive to be a better person and get closer to God.” – Malachi Hay, seventh grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie, Maryland
“What Easter means to me is we should continue in our faith. I say this because this is the time when Jesus is resurrected. This makes us want to seek the same resurrection that Jesus had. This encourages us to keep following the good path. This means we have to obey the elders. Help the poor. We have to help our parents around the house. By doing this, we can be resurrected like Jesus was. This is what Easter means to me.” – Nikhil Pappan, sixth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie, Maryland
“Easter is the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. It commemorates the day when our Lord Jesus Christ was raised by God from the dead, three days later. Easter is a day where I can pray to the Lord and thank him for the sacrifice he made for us. It is a special moment for all people.” – Drawing and writing by Chukwuma Anaele, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“Jesus is a blessing. If I didn’t have him, I don’t know what I would do. I talk to him a lot, but wish I could do it more. I try to pray every single day. I pray to Jesus before I go to sleep and right when I wake up. I like to talk to Jesus about many things. I talk to Jesus about casual stuff and more important stuff. I know he listens, and he will answer me in the best way possible. Sometimes ‘no’ is a good answer. He helps me when I need it. I hope I do what he wants me to do. I will try to listen in the best of my ability.” – Ryan Pickett, seventh grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie, Maryland
“Easter is all about what Jesus did for the world and all his sacrifice and love he gave to us. During Lent, we reflect on what he did and show our appreciation for him. But then we also have the fun traditions like boiling eggs or going on Easter egg hunts and eating chocolate bunnies. I think we have these fun traditions to bond more with our families and friends and express our love for Jesus Christ.” – Josie Shaw, seventh grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie, Maryland
“Easter means a lot to me. It is the day when Jesus rose from the dead after the third day… This day is important because Jesus died on the cross for our sins, but when he resurrected, he saved a place in heaven for those who have faith in him and believe in him. Easter is an important day to celebrate the Resurrection…” – Drawing and writing by Kosidinna Achikeh, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“To me, Easter means rejoicing, gladness and gratitude. Easter is the celebration of Christ’s resurrection. He died on Good Friday to save us from sin… He rose three days later going to the Father. On Easter, my family would attend Mass, and afterwards, we would have a big meal and invite our family members. This year will be better than last year’s, because COVID-19 is slipping away a little bit.” – Kadoh Bangu, seventh grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie, Maryland
“Easter fills me with joy. I say this because we are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It just reminds me to always be grateful and stay humble. Jesus died on the cross for our sins. God sent him to Earth with a mission which he completed. I’m happy that he resurrected. I don’t know how the world would be if Jesus didn’t die for our sins.” – Laila Gobantes, seventh grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie, Maryland
“I am happy about Easter because it means that it is the end of Lent and that Jesus has risen from the dead. I am happy to know that Jesus loved me so much that he died to save me and everyone from our sins. I am also happy that he has risen from the dead and will return to us one day. I like to celebrate Easter with my family, but this year it will be different because of the pandemic. But I can still celebrate by making sure to do Zoom calls with my uncles and aunts and my grandma.” – Drawing and writing by Yasmin Martin, seventh grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“Easter is one of my favorite times of the year, somewhat because it’s a break from school, but mostly because I’m closer with God. Easter is the time we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection… This Easter, I will strive to become closer to the Lord.” – Donovan Murph, seventh grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie, Maryland
“What Easter means to me is spending time with God and my family to celebrate all Jesus has done for us.” – Douglas Ray, seventh grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“To me, Easter is a celebration. Easter is a time to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Easter is a time of joy, praise and hope. Besides the fact that Easter is an American holiday with bunnies and candy, it’s also a time to be joyous of the resurrection of Christ.” – Drawing and writing by Jewel Moore, seventh grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“Easter for me means thanking Jesus for dying for our sins. Jesus died on the cross and had to suffer for us so that we could be saved from our sins. God sent his one and only Son to do that for us. Even though Jesus was mistreated and not believed that he was the Son of God, he still forgave others, blessed others and performed miracles to heal. Jesus taught others lessons and how to grow closer to God. Jesus suffered death so that we may live.” –Danielle Nunyi, seventh grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“To me, Easter means a new beginning. I see Easter as this, because Jesus died for our sins. He died to forgive us. We get a fresh start to fix our past mistakes and to continue following Jesus. With Jesus rising, he also gives us a presence of new life. We get to experience the springtime with the beauty of God’s creations, surrounded by life and given the chance to become closer to God. To me, Easter means a new beginning.” – Gabriela Manzano, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“Easter is a very calm holiday for me. It’s not too serious like Christmas with buying everyone gifts. Or making lots of food for Thanksgiving. Easter is a calm time to spend with family and reflect on Jesus’ resurrection.” – Drawing and writing by Reve Durham, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“To me, Easter means the true power of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. After he was put to death and died for our sins, he rose again on the third day. I love Easter because I love representing Christ. I want to follow in his footsteps and help other people go down the path to Heaven…” – Jalen Neptune, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“To me, Easter isn’t just a celebration of Jesus rising from the dead, but a holiday that symbolizes God’s love and protection. While Jesus knew that he would suffer a painful death, he had faith in God and knew that he would be protected. Jesus rising from the dead is proof that we are never alone in our suffering, and that God is always watching over us. Jesus rising from the dead on Easter is a reminder to all Christians to trust God and his plan for us.” – Nile Randolph, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“Easter to me is a time where family, friends and members of the Church come together to praise God and celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus. Easter to me is also a time where I re-evaluate my life and look at where I’ve been, where I am, and where I’m going. During this time I also thank Jesus for the sacrifice that he has made for me and my family. When we’re all together, my family and I typically celebrate with a feast, and enjoy each others’ company in Jesus’s name.” – Drawing and writing by Kyle Walker, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“To me, Easter means a new beginning. Jesus has resurrected, and it’s a new day. I also think it is a new beginning because we can break our Lenten promise, whether it was giving up your phone or social media… Easter means that Jesus has risen, and we should all celebrate, rejoice and be happy.” – Janelle Simo, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“Easter is about how Jesus showed us that anything is possible and that he is real. Easter also shows us the power that God has and that he is immortal. It is a holiday in which God sent his only son to sacrifice himself for our sins. During Easter, I spend time with family. We spend time together and enjoy each other’s presence. We cherish the time that we can spend together knowing we don’t see each other every day...” – Alyssa Tinio, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“Easter is important to me, because it reminds me that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and redeemed us from our sins… We celebrate Him during this period because he is the reason that we live. Easter reminds us that Jesus is alive with us and will always be there with us when we need him. Easter is a time for us to reflect and connect better with God. We celebrate all these days of the week for everything Jesus went through for us. He is alive!” – Drawing and writing by Ola Are, sixth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“Easter is a very special time for my family and me, a time to rejoice the Lord. Every year my family and I go to church and then come home and have dinner. Because of the pandemic, we were not able to attend Mass last year, which deeply saddened me and my family. But this year, things have gotten better, and we are now able to attend Mass, which makes me greatly happy. Easter to me is a time to celebrate and rejoice.” – Isabella Thompson, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“To me Easter is a holiday that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter celebrates the defeat of death and the hope of salvation… Easter is definitely more than just a Easter bunny. God came back to show everyone how great he is.” – Journy Phillips, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“…Thinking about how Jesus died for us and rose again always reminds me to make the most out of my life…” – Sarah-Maelle Iku, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“Easter is something important for me because it marks the day that Jesus rose from the dead and fulfilled his mission. Not only did he do that, he also died on the cross for all of our sins… Easter is the day we celebrate his resurrection and life. Jesus has done a lot for me and continues to do a lot for me. One day I hope to be able to live with him in heaven forever.” – Drawing and writing by Leah Walden, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“What Easter means to me is being around my family and friends praising Jesus Christ for all he has done for us… Jesus died on the cross for our sins. That means a lot to me, because he went through all of that pain and suffering for us so we can have a chance to be with him in heaven. I thank you, Lord, for giving up your only son to save us. It means more than the world to me. My family and I praise you every day for what you and your son Jesus Christ did for us.” – Daylynn Francis, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“What Easter means to me is that we should spend time on Easter and remember what Jesus did to save us all from sin. We should remember that Jesus sacrificed himself on the cross to show his love and care for us and to bring us closer to God. We also should always put God first in our lives. It is important to be closer to God, because God fills us with spiritual wisdom that helps us navigate life on Earth.” – Sharon Dinh, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“Easter is one of my favorite holidays, not because I get candy, but because it celebrates the life of Jesus and what he represented. He is our Savior, and he deserves to be celebrated, and this day is a time to give thanks for what he did for us. I also believe it is a day to self-reflect, a holy time to reflect on the things you’ve done, especially the things you’ve done for God.” – Ethan Cueto, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“Easter means many things to me. One of the things Easter means to me is the Resurrection of Christ, and that it’s a time of celebration… I also perceive this as a reminder that Jesus is coming back a second time when the world ends to take all his saints with him to heaven. This reminds me that I always have to be ready for this day when it comes.” – Drawing and writing by Leah Bryant, seventh grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“I think that Easter is a very important time for all Christians, or at least should be, because Easter is the foundation of our faith. Without Easter we have no faith, and the Gospel wouldn’t be true, but because the Gospel is true, because he rose on the third day, we know that our faith is true. God loves us so much that he would give his only son to die for us so that we may live in eternity with him, and there is no greater love than that.” – Peter Onumah, sixth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“Easter to me is a time for me to get closer to Jesus and meditate on the Bible. Around this time, it reminds me to always be thankful for what Jesus has done for me, and it was all out of his love. During this time, I work on myself to become a better person and to be more like Jesus. I want to reflect on his word and spread the Gospel to others. Everyone should try and be more like Jesus, (being) kind, loving and forgiving are essentials to walking in that path.” – Karis Bynum, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
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.