Stories of Christ

Christ in the Temple, at age 12

For the Season of Easter

By Timothy and Mary Kretzmann

Stories of Christ
By Timothy and Mary Kretzmann

Compiled and e-published by Mary Kretzmann About this book: My husband, Timothy Kretzmann, is a very gifted storyteller. Over the years he has told these stories of Jesus Christ, and other wonderfully inspiring stories, to many children and adults. A quiet comes over the room when he tells his stories of God, Saints, and Heroes. Many times the adults in the room come forward and tell him, Oh, how I wish I had been taught about Jesus the way you just told of Him. You make his Divine Love and Inner Peace seem so tangible Some day we hope to make recordings available of his storytelling, but for now we want to make these available for you to read aloud to your child, so that they man know some of the stories of Christ. I will update this book when we make new stories, or recordings come available. You can also view updates, and find many resources, at my blog Finding God in Your Family http://findinggodinyourfamily.wordpress.com/ God bless you and your family, Mary Kretzmann Good Friday, April 9, 2009 This book is lovingly sponsored by our family at:

Stories of Christ
Palm Sunday Good Friday Easter Morning By Timothy Kretzmann

Jesus Appears after Easter, By Mary Kretzmann

First Appearances of Jesus
Emmaus, Thomas doubts, bi-location and more

Jesus Appears at Galilee

Tiberius, and the mountain

The Ascension of Jesus

Early in the morning Jesus appeared to his Apostles and His Mother, and gave his last instructions to them.

Palm Sunday
By Timothy Kretzmann
On Palm Sunday we celebrate a day long ago that started when Jesus and his disciples got up in the town of Bethany, near Jerusalem. It was days before Passover, and Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, as were many other Jews, to celebrate the great festival. But the disciples were uneasy. The last time they were in Jerusalem, the Chief Priests and the Pharisees had boldly sent guards to arrest Jesus. But when they entered the temple where he was teaching, they stopped and listened to Him and were so moved with what He was saying that they could not arrest Him. And they returned to the Pharisees without Jesus, saying, We never heard any man speak like this. We could not arrest him. And the Pharisees grew even angrier with Jesus. The disciples were uneasy. As Jesus and the disciples prepared to leave Bethany for Jerusalem a couple of miles away, Jesus instructed two disciples to go to a nearby town. As they entered the town, He told them, they would see a donkey that had never been ridden. They were to untie him and if anyone asked what they were doing, they were to say that the Lord has need of him. The disciples did what Jesus told them, and soon returned with the donkey. They spread some blankets on the donkeys back, Jesus got on, and they started for Jerusalem. Word had spread quickly that Jesus was in Bethany and many people came looking for Him, so that by the time they left for Jerusalem there was a crowd of people walking behind them. As they walked towards Jerusalem, the disciples looked at Jesus and wondered as Im sure they wondered many times, What manner of man is this? And they remembered the first time they had seen Jesus; He looked at them, and said simply, Follow me. And as each man looked into His eyes, his heart said, Of course, what else could I do? And they had left their homes, families, and their jobs and their whole lives behind and followed Him. And they saw Him sow hope in lives filled with fear, love in hearts infested with hate, and joy in all souls who were open to him. And then the disciples remembered the miracles. Hundreds and hundreds of sick, blind, deaf, mute, lame flocked to Him. People with all kinds of diseases came to Him, or were carried to Him and went away cured and whole. Thousands were fed on a sunny hillside, after he blessed a small basket of loaves and fishes.

They remembered the raging storm on the Sea of Galilee stilled by His word. And then He had given them, the disciples, the power to heal; and He sent them out to the towns and through the countryside healing people in His name. And they remembered when Jesus left the fertile and bountiful land of Galilee and came to the holy city of Jerusalem, where they found men with hearts as hard and unyielding as the rocks that the city was built upon. The chief priests and Pharisees despised Jesus, because He spoke often of their hypocrisy, and because so many people were being drawn to Him. They often tried to turn the people against Him. But still, Jesus kept teaching and healing, and more and more people came to Him; and now everywhere He went, crowds of people were with Him. But what really made the disciples uneasy was something that had happened just two weeks before this day. Jesus had been alone with his disciples in the wilderness when he got word that Lazarus, His good friend in Bethany, was very sick. He waited a couple of days and then word came that Lazarus had died. Then they set out for Bethany. When they arrived a day or two later, Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus and also good friends of Jesus, were very distraught and said, If only youd been here, he would not have died. But now it is too late. And they wept and Jesus wept with them. Then He stood and said, Come, let us go unto the tomb. And so the group of friends, relatives and disciples walked slowly up the hill to the tomb. Roll away the stone, said Jesus when they got there. But Master, he has been dead four days-it will smell, protested Martha. But Jesus insisted and the stone that sealed the opening of the tomb was removed. Jesus closed His eyes and prayed. Then He opened His eyes, peered into the darkness of the tomb, and called out, Lazarus, come forth! The disciples stared at Jesus dumbfounded, and followed His gaze into the tomb. They thought they saw movement in the darkness and then suddenly, there was Lazarus standing in the doorway of the tomb, wrapped in his grave linens, shielding his eyes from the bright light of the sun. He glanced around at the stunned and silent faces of the crowd and spotted Jesus. He weakly tottered out of the darkness of the tomb, knelt down before Him, and touched the Masters feet. What manner of man is this? thought the disciples as they looked at Jesus riding the donkey up the east side of the Mount of Olives, closer and closer to Jerusalem. Word of Jesus bringing Lazarus back to life spread like lightning. The chief priests and Pharisees nearly exploded with anger when they heard about it. They immediately issued an order that anyone knowing the

whereabouts of Jesus should report him to them at once. Jesus left Bethany and went to the town of Ephraim, a safe distance away, for a little over a week; and now here they were heading for Jerusalem right over the top of this hill the Mount of Olives. The disciples were uneasy. And then they got to the top of the Mount of Olives and the city came into view and there in the road were hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people. At the sight of Him, a cry went up: Hes here. The Messiah is here. And the people started shouting and waving palm branches and soon the crowd was all around them shouting, Hosanna! Blessed be the Kind of Israel who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna to the Son of David! The closer they got to the city walls, the more people there were. They were throwing palm branches, and the men were throwing their robes, into the road for the donkey to walk on as they did for kings in those days. And somewhere amid the tumult and the praise, the dust and the jubilation of the crowd the uneasiness the disciples left them, like a lifting fog, and they walked tall, their hearts filled with joy beside their Master. With so many enthusiastic supporters around, the Chief Priests and the Pharisees would never try to arrest Jesus, lest the multitude turned into a mob against them. The procession made its way through the gates of the city, and on toward the temple mount, the disciples saw a group of Pharisees pushing through the crowd toward Jesus. Finally, when one of them got close enough, he shouted to Jesus, Master, tell these people to be quiet. And Jesus replied, If these people were silenced the very stones would shout their praises to the Son of Man! And so today we celebrate the day when the world lifted up its voice in joy and honor to Jesus the Christ.

Good Friday
By Timothy Kretzmann
The disciple was running for his life through the darkness of night. He ducked and swerved to miss the limbs of trees and crashed through the smaller branches. Terrified, he ran farther and farther up the Mount of Olives as fast as his legs could carry him. Suddenly he tripped and sprawled headlong to the ground. Desperately he scrambled on all fours behind a large old olive tree and lay there on his belly with his head up, straining to hear the footsteps of someone chasing him. But all he could hear was the sound of his heart pounding against his ribs and his breath rushing in and out of his lungs. After a time he sat up and leaned back against the tree, still listening. He drew his knees up, put his elbows on them and held his head in his hands. He thought back to what had just happened, his mind racing. Why did he let them take him away like that; what is going on here? He thought back to what had just happened. Against his closed eyes he saw himself walking with the other disciples and Jesus out of Jerusalem and down to the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus told the disciples to watch while he went off a short distance to pray. The disciple, tired, and eyes heavy after the Passover meal that night, had fallen asleep on the cool grass under the full moon, in the Garden of Gethsemane. He wakened abruptly to the sound of voices and clanking armor, and soldiers with torches, coming towards him in the night. He leapt up and ran with his fellow disciples to the place where Jesus had gone to be alone, and there came Jesus walking toward them, looking calmly past them at the soldiers and torches coming into the garden. He walked through the midst of the disciples and stood, facing the soldiers. The group of soldiers walked up to Jesus and the disciples and stopped a few feet away. For a moment all was quiet except the hissing of the torches; their flickering light causing eerie shadows to dance among the trees in the garden. Whom seek ye? said Jesus, and Judas had come out from among the soldiers and torches, walked up to Jesus saying, Hail Master! and kissed him. Judas! said the disciple out loud, opening his eyes. Judas! he said again, Oh, no, no. He closed his eyes again and saw Judas step back from the Master. He was sweating and was clearly nervous, but moved with clear, purposeful strides. The soldiers started forward, but Jesus drew himself up, and an unseen force pushed the soldiers back. They stared at Him bewildered and silent. Whom seek ye? Jesus asked again. Jesus of Nazareth, said a voice from the back of the group. I am he. Take me and let these then go on their way, He said motioning to the disciples.

The soldiers started forward again and suddenly Peter wielded knife and swinging it wildly at one of the soldiers, nearly cut off his ear. The man cried out in pain and fell to the ground clutching the side of his head. Jesus grabbed Peters arm and looking at him sternly said, The cup which my Father has given me, shall I not drink it?

The soldiers then swarmed forward. Peter threw down the knife and ran. The other disciples ran too. As he ran, the disciple looked back and saw Jesus, surrounded by several soldiers, bending down over the soldier on the ground. And he was certain that Jesus was healing the soldiers ear. He turned his head and ran as fast as he could, out of the garden, away from the soldiers and up the Mount of Olives into the night. He opened his eyes again, pushed himself off the tree, and stood up. Slowly he stepped out from behind the tree. All was quiet. No one was coming up the hill. He took a deep breath and lifted his eyes and saw the city of Jerusalem bathed in moonlight before him, so beautiful and peaceful. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a light moving and soon another and another. He realized it was the group of soldiers returning to the city. He watched numbly as the group made their way up the road toward the gate of the city. Now the sound of their armor clanking as they walked drifted up the mountain. Even at this distance by the light of the moon and the torches he could clearly see that Jesus was in their midst. The raucous laughter of a Roman soldier drifted up the mountain when he saw two dark shapes move quickly up the same road and silently slip into the city.

The disciple hurried down the mountain back to the garden of Gethsemane. There, a few disciples had already gathered and every few minutes another came. They spoke in low voices of the evenings events. Finally the only ones not there were Judas, John and Peter. Perhaps John and Peter were the two dark shapes I saw following the soldiers, said the disciple. Thats closer than Id care to be to that bunch, said another, Jesus will outwit them and be back with us tomorrow. I just dont understand why he let them take him like that. said the disciple. Dont worry. Hell be fine. God is with him. Come on, lets get some sleep. And the small, exhausted band of men left the garden, walked up the Mount of Olives, found a safe hiding place and went to sleep. Meanwhile, back in Jerusalem the soldiers and torches made their way to the house of Annas, a very powerful man. Many years ago he had been the High Priest himself and since then five of his sons and now his son-in law Caiaphas had been High Priest, and he had wielded his power through them. To him went the profits of the moneychangers in the temple, who Jesus only a couple of days before had driven out of the temple, scandalizing the powerful family. It was with no small satisfaction that Annas gazed upon the Nazarene called Jesus, bound in chains standing before him. He knew what was in store for this man. The die was cast. Their meeting was brief. Jesus was then taken to the house of Caiaphas, the High Priest. There were gathered a select group of the Sanhedrin, the group of priests and scholars who were the religious leaders of the Jews, who had previously agreed to put Jesus to death. There Jesus trial began. Meanwhile, out in the street, two shadowy figures moved slowly toward the gate into the courtyard of the house of Caiaphas. They paused. One slipped into the shadows. The other walked in the gate, made his way to a dark corner, and there waited and watched. He was the disciple John. A few minutes later, the other figure, Peter, moved toward the gate and walked into the courtyard. He hesitated and was startled when a womans voice spoke from the shadows.

Hey, arent you one of the followers of the Nazarene? she asked loudly. . I dont know what youre talking about, said Peter. I thought I saw you with him at the temple. I know not the man! said Peter. Shaken, he headed for a fire that a small group of people was gathered around, for the night was very cool. The fire felt good, but Peter saw another woman eyeing him suspiciously. He turned to leave but she spoke out, Arent you one of the disciples? I know not the man, he said again. At the sound of his voice a man standing nearby who was with the soldiers in Gethsemane turned and said, Surely you were with him just a short while ago in the garden! At this, Peters nerve left him completely, and he cursed and swore vehemently that he did not know this man Jesus. Suddenly a disturbance on the other side of the courtyard distracted everyones attention. A door had opened and the temple guards were leading Jesus, still bound in chains, out of the room. They came toward the group on a covered porch a couple of steps above them. In the distance a rooster crowed. As He passed the fire, Jesus turned His head and looked straight into the eyes of Peter. Immediately the horror of what he had done cut through him like a knife. He remembered what Jesus had told him just a few hours before. Before the rooster crows you will deny me three times. In anguish, Peter broke away from the group around the fire, staggered to the moonlit street and wept bitterly. The trial was not going well for Jesus. Caiaphas had planned it all well, and he was determined that Jesus would not slip through his hands. Between false accusations and distorted testimony the trial was rapidly coming to an end. Between sessions the temple guards blindfolded Jesus and hit Him saying, Tell us thou Christ, which one of us hit you? And they beat Him and spit on Him and mocked Him in this way. And so shortly after dawn the verdict was in; Jesus was guilty of blasphemy. He would not deny that he was the Christ, and He was condemned to die.

There was only one obstacle left. The Jews were not permitted to put anyone to death without the permission of the Roman Governor. The Governor at this time was a man named Pontius Pilate and when Jesus was brought before him, Pilate was struck by his calm demeanor, and after hearing the charges against him motioned his guards to bring him inside. After talking to Jesus alone he went back before the crowd saying, I find no fault in this man. A voice called out from the crowd, But he stirs up the people in Judea, and even in Galilee. Pilate heard the word Galilee and saw a way to get rid of this load of responsibility. If this Jesus were from Galilee he would come under the jurisdiction of Herod, the king of that region under Rome. So Pilate ordered Jesus sent to Herod, who was greatly flattered by this action. He had been looking forward to seeing this wonder worker that everyone was talking about. He was even hoping to see a miracle or two, but was to be greatly disappointed. Jesus would not even open His mouth to speak to Herod and at last Herod resorted to mocking Him. He had his servants bring one of his kingly robes and they put it on Him and laughed at Him and bowed to him saying,Hail, thou King of the Jews! Finally tiring of this game, Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate. Pilate, in the meantime, had a most disturbing experience. His wife, Claudia, had sent a message that she had had a dream, which warned that he, Pilate, should have nothing to do with what she called that righteous man. Romans took dreams very seriously, so by now Pilate was deeply convinced of Jesus innocence. He was greatly dismayed when he heard the crowd, much larger than before, returning to his courtyard. He went out onto his balcony and addressed the crowd. I find no fault with this man, but I will chastise him and let him go. An angry roar went up from the crowd, but Pilate signaled to his soldiers, who took Jesus inside. Pilate also went inside and through the floor he could hear the soldiers whipping Jesus. After a few minutes they were silent and Pilate heard the dragging of feet and sounds of laughter from below. He went back out to the balcony and Jesus was again brought before the crowd. Pilate, though used to this sort of thing, was aghast at what he saw. Jesus face was gray and twisted in agony and the soldiers had made a circlet of thorns and pounded it onto his head as a crown. Behold the man! Pilate choked. The crowd roared, Crucify Him! Crucify Him!

Pilate saw that the crowd was on the verge of becoming a mob, and did the only he felt he could do. He ordered a slave to bring him a basin of water. Ceremoniously, he washed his hands saying, I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man. Let His blood be upon us and upon our children. So be it. Said Pilate, and thereby turned Jesus over to them to be crucified. Through the streets of Jerusalem at this hour walked a certain man named Simon of Cyrene. He was from Northern Africa and was in Jerusalem for the Passover. He was walking down a street when a procession turned the corner and came toward him. He stopped and watched it approach. Led by a Roman centurion and a dozen or so of his soldiers it moved slowly up the street. Behind the centurion came three prisoners, each carrying the cross on which they obviously going to be crucified. Simon was familiar with the hideous Roman execution known as crucifixion; his country too was ruled by Rome. It was a form of execution they used for runaway slaves and rebels against Roman authority. But what caught the attention of Simon was the face of the first of the three prisoners. The other two were common criminals it was easy to see, but this first had deep calm eyes and almost the look of nobility about him. Though he had obviously suffered greatly at the hand of his tormentors and wore a hideous crown of thorns on his head, he handled himself with calm determination. Simon fell in with the crowd and was pushed along by it near the front of the procession. He watched the man transfixed. The man staggered under the weight of the cross and weaved from one side of the road to the other, the end of the cross dragging over the cobblestone street. Suddenly the man fell with a cry. He was flat in the street with the cross on top of him. Two of the soldiers lifted the cross, and a third roughly dragged the man to his feet. The centurion came back nervously scanning the agitated crowd. His eyes fell upon Simon, for he was a big and strong man. You! he said, Carry this! pointing to the cross. As Simon stepped forward he saw a sign on the top of the cross that said Jesus of Nazareth king of the Jews. He was amazed by the weight of the cross. As the procession started to move he heard Jesus speak to a group of women who were weeping, Daughters of Jerusalem, he said, Weep not for me but for yourselves and for your children. He then prophesied that the city of Jerusalem would be destroyed. They were words that Simon would always remember, and just a few years later they were proven true. And so the procession proceeded. Once a woman broke through the line of soldiers and gently wiped the blood and sweat from His face. They went through the walls of the city and up a small hill called Golgotha, or a place of the skull, and Simon was ordered to drop the cross. He did so and took a few steps back. The other prisoners

dropped their crosses and the soldiers worked quickly, roughly throwing the prisoners down and nailing the prisoners to their crosses through their hands and feet and lifting the crosses into place. Jesus spoke saying, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. Forgive them! thought Simon, Forgive them? Incredible! Who is this man? One of the Pharisees turned to the crowd and said, He saved others; himself he cannot save! They all laughed and he said, If you really are the Christ come down from the cross and save yourself, then we will believe. One of the thieves on the other cross said, Yes, if you are the Christ, save yourself and us! But the thief on the other cross, responded, Be quiet! You and I deserve to die for what we have done, but cant you see that this man is innocent? and turning to Jesus he said, Lord, remember me when you go into your kingdom. And Jesus said to him, Today you will be with me in Paradise. Simon noticed the sky had turned black with clouds, and the air had grown cool, and the wind picked up little eddies of dust and blew it in the faces of the onlookers. The crowd whispered to each other, grew silent, and slowly started to disperse and go back into the walls of the city now eerily outlined against the black sky. Simon saw a group of women move to the foot of the cross. The oldest woman, clearly the mother of Jesus, had the arm of a young man, who was the disciple John, around her. When Jesus saw them he said, Woman, behold your son. Son, behold your mother. He was quiet for a long time. The sky grew even darker, lightning danced in the clouds in the clouds and thunder rumbled in the heavens. Finally Jesus lifted up His head and cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Shortly after this he said, I thirst. A soldier stuck a sponge on the end of his spear, dipped it in vinegar and raised it to His mouth. Thus revived, Jesus said, Father into Thy hands I commend my spirit. And shortly after said, It is finished, bowed His head and died.

With this the earth trembled, Lightning flashed to the earth and thunder crashed all around. In the temple the large curtain separating the Holy of Holies that was three stories high and very thick, tore from top to bottom. The Roman centurion, standing at the foot of the cross gazing up at Jesus said quietly, Truly this was the Son of God. And so ended the first Good Friday almost 2,000 years ago. But the story doesnt end on Good Friday. It is not complete without the story of Easter. Likewise the story of Easter is not complete without the story of Good Friday. For only in the darkness and sorrow of Good Friday could the light that burst forth on Easter morning, be so bright that it could open peoples hearts and transform their lives across the centuries even to today. May that light of Christ be resurrected in us all this Easter.

Easter Morning
By Timothy Kretzmann
Jesus was dead. By Friday night all of the disciples were together again in a secret room in Jerusalem. They were shattered men. Their world had come crashing down around them. Their master was dead. Their dreams of His triumph and of His kingdom were in ashes. His death had left a void that it seemed nothing could ever fill. All day Saturday- the Sabbath- they stayed locked away in their secret room in Jerusalem. The shutters were pulled shut over the windows, and the door closed tight and locked. A heavy gloom filled the room. Over and over the scenes from their Last Supper with Him played in their minds. His words and eyes full of a sadness that they could feel now, but then they were only dimly aware of. Then he had washed their feet. He had washed their feet! Like a servant! And later they had walked through the dark and quiet streets of Jerusalem, out of the city gates, and down to the Garden of Gethsemane. Thats where the soldiers had come to take Him and they ran. They ran and left Him behind, alone to be dragged off by the soldiers. Oh for the chance to live that moment over again; to at least stay and be taken with Him, or to fight as best they could and to die in the garden trying to protect Him. AnythingAnything would be better than sitting in this dark room knowing that the last thing they had done was run, leaving Him alone to die a cruel, heartless death. For the women there it was perhaps a little easier. Of course they were very sad as well, but at least they had meals to prepare and serve and other household tasks to while the sad hours away. And all of them, as devout Jews, had the duties of the Sabbath to perform. But the women were conscious of another task that fell upon them. After Jesus had been taken from the cross on Friday there had not been time to properly prepare his body for burial because sundown marked the beginning of the Sabbath, and such tasks could not be done on the Sabbath. So during the day Saturday they made plans to return to the tomb at first light on Sunday. And so it was that at dawn on Sunday morning, a small group of women tiptoed out of the house, wrapped in their cloaks and crept into the streets of Jerusalem. Whispering occasionally among themselves, they made their way through the streets of the city, just as the light from the rising sun was beginning to touch the domes and pinnacles of the tallest buildings. Then, just as they were going through the gates of the city toward the garden that held the tomb where Jesus was laid, they remembered the stone. There was a stone that was so big that it took four Roman soldiers to roll it into place to seal the tomb. How were they going to roll it away? But since they were almost there, they continued on.

Soon they entered the garden with the first rays of the morning sun. The dew glistened like jewels on the branches of the trees in the stillness of dawn. Everything, even the birds, was perfectly still. It was almost as if the whole world was holding its breath. The women moved forward, their hearts beating faster, around a corner and up a little hill, and then they could see the tomb. The stone was rolled away, and the rays of the early morning sun streamed into the open tomb. The women fearfully clung together as they came to the tomb, and entered the outer chamber. From here they could look into the inner chamber where Jesus body had been laid. It was empty! Startled, they spun around, for they felt a presence behind them. And there were two dazzling angels, so bright they could barely even see their faces. One of them spoke saying, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here but is risen: remember how he told you in Galilee, saying that He must be delivered up into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again. Fear and awe moved the women to panic. As one, they fled from the tomb, their long garments flying about them. They rushed out of the garden, into the city gates, through the streets. Breathless and terrified they burst into the room where the disciples were gathered. They stammered out their astonishing tale: The stone was rolled away, the tomb was empty; they had seen angels! But they had not seen Jesus for He was not there. The angels said He has risen! Most of the disciples didnt believe a word of it. But there was a glimmer of light in the eyes of Peter at the tidings the women had brought. He thought, Could it be? Could it possibly be? He slowly stood up, and John stood with him. A sign passed between them. They ran from the house into the street, through the streets and out the city gate, down the hill toward the garden. At a distance, Mary Magdalene followed. John easily outran the older and heavier Peter, so was first to arrive at the tomb. Sure enough, the stone was rolled back. The tomb was open. He stopped and looked in, but some fear of the unknown kept him from going in. Behind him he heard Peter coming. He turned and gave him a vague gesture of astonishment. Peter knew no such hesitation, and rushed right into the tomb, and on into the inner chamber. There he saw that the stone slab where Jesus had been laid was empty, and that His burial linens were neatly folded and lying on the slab. Without a word, they turned and ran to tell the others. At the entrance to the garden they passed Mary Magdalene. She watched them run by, their eyes staring and their mouths agape, and walked slowly to the empty tomb. She stepped inside the outer chamber, and there, leaning against the wall, the tears that shed been holding back poured out. After a time she looked up, and there on the slab where Jesus body had been laid were two angels. One of them spoke very gently, Woman, why do you weep?

Because, she sobbed, they have taken away my Lord and I dont know where they have laid Him. Then she turned and stumbled from the tomb into the sunlight. There was another figure there; but because of her tears and the sun behind him she couldnt see, nor did she greatly care who it was, but took him to be the gardener of this place. He spoke to her. Woman, why do you weep? Who are looking for? Sir, she replied, if you have taken him somewhere, tell me where you have laid him and I will take him away. There was a long pause. Then He said, Mary. Master! she breathed, for she knew instantly that it was Jesus; she fell on her knees and reached out to Him. Touch me not, he said, For I have not yet ascended to my Father. But go, and tell the others that I will come to them. Later He did appear to them and said, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things I have told you and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. And the disciples began to see that the emptiness they had felt would be filled with that part of Jesus that did not die, and could never die. That light which he came to give the world began to grow ever brighter in them until they became more and more like Him, giving that light to all who would receive it. And in this they were filled.

First Appearances of Jesus

By Mary Kretzmann Jesus appeared to his disciples many times in the days following His Resurrection
Later On Easter day: On the road to Emmaus (Luke 24) Two disciples of Jesus, one older, and one a much younger man, were walking out of the city of Jerusalem toward a town called Emmaus, about 7 miles away. Cleophas, the elder, was a cousin of Jesus. They were talking sadly with each other about how Jesus had died. As they walked along, all at once from the side a stranger approached, wearing a brown robe. He asked them, What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk, and are so sad? Cleophas asked, astonished, Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have you not known the things which happened there in these days? And he replied, What things? All three proceeded on together with the stranger in the middle, for they sensed that he was somehow special, and he was so very curious about it all. So they retold everything, with all the wonders and terror, saying, These things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. But we had been hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Engrossed in their conversation with him, they walked along quickly together, and they continued, Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. When they did not find His body, they came running and saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. And Peter and John went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see. They also told him that some of the disciples doubted this incredible storyespecially the women seeing angels. They were surprised at the wise answers the stranger then gave them. Starting with Moses and the prophets, he spoke deeply about many things in the scriptures that foretold the Messiah, and what would happen to him. They had heard most of these things before, but never in this way all together and at once, and touching their understanding so deeply. As he spoke, they felt a warm presence burning in their hearts, opening their understanding to the deeper meaning of the scriptures. And after speaking on all of theses things, He told them to take heart, and gently chided them for being slow to believe in what the prophets had spoken. And from hearing these scriptures, didnt it now make sense that Christ needed to suffer these things in order to enter into His glory? The Inn at Emmaus All of this deep talking had taken some time, and they had walked quite far. Near evening they came to a little village, and stopped in front of a tall house set apart from the rest. It was an inn, a place to buy a

meal and sleep for the night. The disciples were now tired and hungry, and went toward the door, but the stranger wanted to continue on his way. He was ready to say goodbye, but the disciples could not bear to be parted so soon from this new, wise friend. They begged him repeatedly to stay, saying, Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And so, he finally consented to join them for dinner. They were served some flat bread and fish, and near the end of the meal, the innkeeper gave them some honeycomb. The stranger did not eat very much; truly he was not hungry like the others. But he did have a little bit, to share in the meal with them. Near the end of the meal, he stood up and held his hands over the bread, looking up to heaven. He then held the bread and said a blessing, and finally broke it and gave a piece to each of them. Suddenly, as they placed the blessed bread into their mouths, they recognized him. It was their beloved Lord! Just as soon as they recognized Him, a beautiful Light shone through him and around him. His clothes were now as though made of brilliant white Light, much more brilliant than snow sparkling in the sunshine. Then He rose off the floor and disappeared They were overcome with joy at having seen Him! They decided they must drop their plans, and return immediately to Jerusalem and tell the others. Their weariness was forgotten! Excited and happy, they called loudly for the innkeeper to come quickly. Cleophas paid him coins from a purse tied to his belt. Then, putting on their cloaks, they started walking quickly back to Jerusalem. It was night and they had a long way to go.

Back in Jerusalem
Finally, they made it back to Jerusalem. They went to the front door of the house where the Apostles (those who were always with Jesus) and other disciples were staying. It was a big house (like a hostel for travelers) owned by Nicodemus, a friend to Jesus. Just three days ago, in the big upper room of this house, Jesus and the Apostles had eaten their last supper with Jesus, right before he was arrested, and then crucified. These two disciples knocked on the door of this big house, but no one opened the door. They knew the Apostles should be there, so they knocked louder. Still, there was no answer. So they began pounding and pounding on the door, and calling out loudly, and saying their names, so those inside would open the door! The Apostles were hiding in the upper room, keeping themselves locked up. They were afraid that the soldiers might come and throw them into prison, because they were followers of Jesus. So, when these two disciples knocked at the door they just sat there, quiet and afraid. They were worried it might be a trick to get them to come outside. The two disciples kept banging on the door, shouting out who they were. Finally, Peter and John decided they must take a risk. They went down, opened up the door, quickly looked around, and let them in. Then they locked up again.

All of the Apostles were upstairs, except for Thomas. The atmosphere of the room was serious and troubled. Earlier that day, some of them had come back from visiting the tomb of Jesus, exclaiming that Jesus body was gone, and that the Angel said He had risen from the dead! But some of the others were overwhelmed by this incredible story. It was too much for them to believe. They wondered if these, their deepest spiritual friends, were imagining things. All of them were in deep grief over losing Jesus, so they had been praying and reading from the holy scrolls, to keep their minds on God. Then in came these two disciples, overflowing with joy and enthusiasm, and telling their wonderful tale. They had walked with him, and even shared a meal with Him! He had blessed the bread, and when they had taken the bread into their mouths, they recognized the Christ! They saw him transformed in Light and rise up, and disappear. They were overjoyed to share this blessed news with their fellow disciples. But this was just too much of a shock for the others. Some of them laughed and even sneered at them, and said it was their imagination. Others simply doubted, and said so. Even Peter looked confused, though he did not laugh, for this was a blessed and powerful day.

Christ Appears
Suddenly, into this scene of disciples arguing with one another, Christ appeared. He was simply there, floating a little bit above the floor, saying, Peace be with you. It is I. Such astonishment! And yet they were also frightened, and thought they might be seeing a ghost. And He asked them, Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have. He showed them his hands and side, and his feet. They hardly dared speak to him for still they wondered if he was real or a ghost. They brought him a special lounge chair, and invited him to sit down, between Peter and John. He sat right there with them, but still they were not quite ready to believe. No wonder they had such a hard time believing their fellow disciples, when they were having such trouble believing their own eyes! To reassure them, He asked, Have you any food here? So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence. Then he spoke very seriously and earnestly with them all for quite a long while. He wanted them to behave more kindly toward each other, and to have greater faith in God. Then He said to them, These are the words which I spoke to you while I was yet with you. that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me. Then He opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures, saying, Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

And you are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem, until you are endued with power from on high. Then he stood up powerfully, but his feet were not touching the ground. He breathed a big, strong breath of air onto them, spiritually baptizing them with Cosmic Vibratory Power. He raised his hands and head toward heaven, saying, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whosoever sins ye forgive are forgiven, and whosesoever sins ye retain, are retained. He then held his hands over them, blessing them powerfully, saying, Peace be unto you. As my Father has sent me, even so I now send you. Then, after some gentle words of friendship to them, he was gone. He just disappeared.

Thomas doubts
Later, these 10 disciples told Thomas about this visit from Jesus, saying, We have seen the Lord! but he did not believe, and said, Except that I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. It was difficult for him to believe this incredible story without witnessing it for himself. Thomas was a deeply spiritual man, and his doubts were part of his mental safeguard against being too easily gullible or superstitious. But this quality was too strong in this moment, for it prevented him from knowing the truth.

In the following days and weeks

Mary, Mother of Jesus, and St. John
A few days later Mary, Jesus Mother, was walking quietly with St. John, following the path Jesus had walked on the way to the crucifixion. As they followed the way of the cross, sometimes they spoke sadly, remembering the things that happened at each point along the way. In deepest compassion they kissed the ground, especially at the spot where Jesus fell for the third time. Then suddenly Jesus appeared to them, in the full glory of his resurrected Light. He looked at them lovingly and spoke to them. Their hearts were filled with great joy.

On the eighth day

The disciples were still in hiding, with the doors locked. The Apostles were all gathered in the upper room; this time Thomas was present with them. Suddenly, Jesus was present there amongst them, saying, Peace be unto you. Jesus turned immediately to Thomas, and, pointing first to one hand, and then the other, and then to the wound over his heart, said, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands, and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. Thomas, deeply moved, and seeking divine forgiveness for his arrogance, fell to his knees, saying, My Lord, and my God!

Jesus then spoke seriously to Thomas, Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. John 20: 30-31 Two visits in one evening
About twenty days after the Resurrection, ten of the Apostles were sitting at the table in the upper room, eating. About forty other disciples were also there. They were having fish and honeycomb. (John was not there. On the cross, Jesus asked him to take care of his mother, so he was often helping her.) And then around 9 pm, Jesus suddenly appeared in the room, and joined them at the table. It was such blessed joy to share with him again! At the same time, Mary (His mother), John, Mary Magdalene, the other Mary (Marthas sister) and Salome were at the city gate, where Jesus had spoken to the mourning women of Jerusalem. They were once again prayerfully and lovingly walking the route of Jesus way of the cross. Jesus then appeared to this little group, bringing a blessed feeling of comfort and joy. When this divine visitation was over, they rushed to the upper room to tell the others their great joy of what they had just experienced. Once there, they heard that Jesus had just shared part of the meal with them! It was such a blessed evening and they all rejoiced in having received another visit from the Christ. Jesus appeared other times to groups of disciples; one time to a large group of about 500 disciples. Thus many people felt his love, and came to know he had truly risen.

Jesus Appears at Galilee

By Mary Kretzmann
And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you. Matt 28 Simon Peter (St. Peter) and John, Thomas, Nathaniel, and some of the other Apostles made their way to Galilee, for on Easter the angel sent the Apostles a message, via the women at the tomb, that the risen Jesus would see them there in Galilee.

Tiberius
It was evening and Simon Peter said to them, Im going fishing, and the others said, Well go with you. They went out immediately, but that night they caught nothing. The next morning they discovered another man on the shore. And the man said to them, Children, have you not any meat, or food to eat? and they answered him, No. And he said, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and you will find some. There was something special in this man and how he said these words, so they rowed back out and did as he said. They quickly caught a great quantity of fish; their nets were full to overflowing, and they were not able to draw up the nets because of the multitude of fishes. John said to Simon Peter, It is the Lord! Just as soon as John spoke these words, Simon Peters heart rejoiced, and he put on his fishermans cloak and leapt from the boat into the sea, and went quickly to Jesus (for they were not far from shore.) The others came back in the little ship, dragging the nets with all of the fishes. As soon as they came to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish had been laid on the coals, and there was bread. And Jesus said to them, Bring the fish which you have now caught. Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of great fishes. There were one hundred and fiftythree large fish, and yet the net was not broken. And Jesus said to them, Come and dine, and none of the disciples dared to ask him, Who are you? for they knew in their hearts that it was the Lord.

Jesus came over to each one and gave bread, and then gave each one some fish that had been cooking on the coals. And after they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me more than these? And Simon Peter replied, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. Jesus then said to him, Feed my lambs. And Jesus said a second time, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me? and Peter replied, Yes Lord, you know that I love you. And Jesus said, Feed my sheep. And then Jesus said to him a third time, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me? And Simon Peter grieved because this was the third time Jesus had asked him, Do you love me? and he replied, Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you. And Jesus said again, Feed my sheep. Thus Peter was allowed three times to profess his deep love for Christ, to set right when he had denied Christ three times early on Good Friday. And then Jesus said, Truly, when you were young, you girded yourself, and walked freely wherever you wished, but when you are old, you will stretch forth your hands, and another shall gird you, and carry you where you would wish not to go. By this Jesus was prophesying the way that Simon Peter would die. And then Jesus again said to him, Follow me. Peter understood his meaning, and so he turned around and looked at John, and said, Lord, and what shall this man do? And Jesus said to him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to you? Follow me. And there are many other things that Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen (John 21:25) The mountain at Galilee Later, the disciples were on a mountain at Galilee and suddenly Jesus was there with them. They fell to their knees, radiant with joy, stretching out their hands in worship, as a spontaneous outpouring of their love and devotion. A few of them, however, watched on rather doubtfully, until Jesus came near them and uttered his greeting of Peace. He then held his hands over them, blessing them with spiritual power to spread his message to all nations. Then he spoke in a mighty voice, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

The Ascension of Jesus

By Mary Kretzmann
It was very early in the morning, around 4 AM, and still dark outside; the lamps were burning in the upper room of the big house in which the last supper was held. The Apostles and Jesus Mother were there having breakfast. (There were other disciples in this big house, but they were in other rooms.) Suddenly Jesus was there with them; he simply appeared, just like the other times, even though the doors were closed. At first they were quite startled and frightened; then he said, Hail and Peace. It is I. They calmed down and offered him a cushioned chair, and something to eat, and he took a little of it. He spoke to them strongly and earnestly for a long time of things pertaining to the kingdom of God, at times pointing his finger upward toward heaven. And then he told them that today would be the last time they would see him on earth in human form. It was now time to tell the other disciples. The Apostles called together the others who were in the house and explained what was happening. These included some new disciples who had come to know Jesus in the very last day of his life, such as the wife of Pontius Pilate, and Longinus, a Roman soldier who was deeply changed at the foot of the cross. Many others were also changed that day. Soon they all walked out of the house, following Jesus, who was wearing a radiant white robe. They walked on a path that took them out of Jerusalem, crossing a brook called Cedron, and then headed out toward Bethany, but not all the way to the house of Lazarus. Soon they turned left, climbing up a small mountain called Olivet. They were all barefoot, and He was walking along, always slightly in the lead, yet his feet never really hit the ground. Peter and John were on either side, and He was talking with everyone A large gathering of people awaited him on top of the mountain. Jesus first spoke to everyone there, then to his Apostles, and finally to his mother. (She was standing near the rear of the group.) He stressed that they should not leave Jerusalem but stay together and, Wait for the promise of the Father, which you have heard of me. For John (the Baptist) truly baptized with water; you shall be baptized of the Holy Spirit not many days hence. When he spoke privately with his Apostles, they asked him, Lord, will you at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel? Jesus replied, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But you shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost past of the earthAnd these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tonguesthey shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. And finally, most beautiful of all was the way Jesus took leave of his mother. She was the last one he spoke to; he lingered with her for some time and then looked at her with an expression of particular love. Her eyes overflowed with tears of deep devotion for her son, and for God.

And then he lifted up his hands, blessing them, and while he blessed them he began to rise up toward the east. Behind his back the sun had just risen. His white robe glistened like snow, and the wounds from the cross were now made of brilliant light. The wound near his heart could be seen clearly shining through his clothing. And the sun behind him was red and fiery, and very beautiful. They all gazed steadfastly toward the east, watching him. He rose very slowly, giving a last, loving look, and then he began to hold his hands downward. Then a beautiful white cloud came and no one could see him anymore. Suddenly two luminous men in white clothing were standing there. You men of Galilee, why stand you here gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go up into heaven. And then they were gone, too. In the quiet awe following this incredible blessing, John looked at the place on the ground on which Jesus last stood. Something on the stone caught his attention, and he pointed it out to everyone else. Jesus footprints had been left behind on the stone! First, Jesus mother came up, then Mary Magdalene, and then all the rest of them, and with deep love and reverence they kissed the footprints. Then they returned unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode all of the Apostles These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren . Acts 1: 12-14 And they were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Luke 24:53

Study Guide and Notes

And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. Luke 24:13-16

In several of the stories, Jesus appears but the disciples do not immediately recognize him (though sometimes they do sense something special about Him, but they cant quite define it.) And then, when Jesus allows it they do understand. Other Holy Masters have also used this spiritual power to block recognition when needed so that devotees can respond in a natural way, which would be impossible if they had recognized the Guru. The ability both to levitate (which many saints of east and west have demonstrated) as well as dissolve bodily atoms (a much more rarified manifestation) allowed Christ to ascend to heaven. The white cloud hid from his disciples eyes the act of subsequently dissolving his bodily atoms. It is no matterthe point remains that the physical body of Christ was spared the normal insult of ashes, worms, or decay. The same principle holds true with the story of Elijah, and the chariot of fire, as well as the assumption of the body of Mary into heaven, another scene confirmed by a vision of Therese Neumann.

And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 2 Kings 2:11

Autobiography of a Yogi: This passage about Mahavatar Babaji contains elements similar to the stories of the risen Christ, including astral travel, and the ability to dissolve his bodily atoms at will. One also sees the Master eating a small portion of food as a courtesy, thus providing a normal, comforting reassurance to visiting disciples. "The peerless master moves with his group from place to place in the mountains," Kebalananda told me. "His small band contains two highly advanced American disciples. After Babaji has been in one locality for some time, he says: 'Dera danda uthao.' ('Let us lift our camp and staff.') He carries a symbolic danda (bamboo staff). His words are the signal for moving with his group instantaneously to another place. He does not always employ this method of astral travel; sometimes he goes on foot from peak to peak. "Babaji can be seen or recognized by others only when he so desires. He is known to have appeared in many slightly different forms to various devotees-sometimes without beard and moustache, and sometimes with them. As his undecaying body requires no food, the master seldom eats. As a social courtesy to visiting disciples, he occasionally accepts fruits, or rice cooked in milk and clarified butter Chapter 33 in Autobiography of a Yogi, by Paramhansa Yogananda

The stories from Appearances of Jesus after Easter and The Ascension are taken from the gospels, with details added from the visions of Therese Neumann. In Autobiography of a Yogi, Paramhansa Yogananda gives a first hand account of the stigmata and attests to the genuineness of Thereses visions. Yogananda later revealed that Therese had been Mary Magdalene in a past life, and for this reason, was blessed with Christs wounds and the weekly visions. He explained that Thereses life was intended to reassure Christians everywhere of the authenticity of Jesus life and crucifixion as recorded in the New Testament, and to show the ever-living bond between Christ and his disciples. Yogananda also said that Therese was a free soul, who enjoyed the highest state of samadhi. Throughout her life, she served as a willing victim for the salvation of souls by taking onto her own body the karma of others. For more see: Autobiography of a Yogi, by Paramhansa Yogananda Chapter 39: Therese Neumann, the Catholic Stigmatist I also recommend these two books on Therese Neumann, for the serious student: A Gift He Meant for Us, by Wendell E. Rossmann , $9.95 Contains 85 fascinating visions on the life of Christ, including visions of Mary Magdalene trying to allure Jesus to her. He ignored her attempts and it changed her life. (I mention this here to debunk the Da Vinci Code.) The Visions of Therese Neumann, by Johannes Steiner. This is very well researched, but out of print. It is available from used-book sellers. The Jesus Prayer Meditation, By Mary Kretzmann (free)

Meditation Supplies from our family to you:

For further inspiration: Go on musical pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and into your own
soul: Christ Lives.

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The World Brotherhood Choir has won numerous musical awards including the Adelaide Ristori Award, the Presidential Cup, and First Prize in the National Festival of World Peace. In 1989 they sang for Pope John-Paul II at the Vatican. Christ Lives is a contemporary Oratorio that vividly brings to life the deep meaning of Christs life. Composed after Swami Kriyananda visited the Holy Land in 1983, Christ Lives brilliantly captures the profoundly inspiring and uplifting experience that Kriyananda felt as he traveled in the footsteps of Jesus. Moved to share that inspiration with the world, Kriyananda composed this Oratorio, already considered by many to be a contemporary masterpiece. What Others Are Saying: I was touched by the music and felt a great sense of wonder. I think the program is beautifully put together. Bishop Patrick Ahern, Blessed Sacrament, New York It would be almost impossible to describe how moved I was by the experience of Christ Lives. The music was tremendously compelling. Reverend Judy Sherman, Unity Church Seattle

Also:
Revelations of Christ
Proclaimed by Paramhansa Yogananda Presented by His Disciple, Swami Kriyananda:

My fervent prayer is that this book, and its proclamation of Paramhansa Yogananda's renewed revelation of Christ's revelation, will initiate a renewal of dynamic, original faith in Jesus Christ.

The beautiful artwork is by Heinrich Hofmann. Paramhansa Yogananda saw Jesus Christ in vision many times, and he said that Heinrich Hofmanns art looked the most like Jesus of any art available. The Jesus Prayer Meditation, By Mary Kretzmann (free)

The Man Nobody Knows, By Bruce Barton

Paramhansa Yogananda wrote: Read 'The Man Nobody Knows,' by Bruce Barton. It is the best modern book on Jesus."

Three Hermits, by Leo Tolstoy A short story about true prayer

A short online movie on the gift of inner peace: