Children's Liturgy Guide

Easter Sunday

Year C · Easter

The Empty Tomb

Reading: John 20:1-9

Leader Prep

Don't worry about doing this perfectly. If the children hear one good idea about God, Jesus, prayer, kindness, forgiveness, or the Gospel, this time has been worthwhile.

Summary

Early on Easter morning, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb where Jesus was buried, but she found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. She ran to tell Peter and another disciple, and they raced to see for themselves. When they looked inside, they saw only the cloths that had wrapped Jesus, and they began to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead.

Key Points

  • Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday, showing that he is truly alive
  • The empty tomb was a sign that something amazing had happened
  • The disciples ran to the tomb because they wanted to see for themselves
  • Easter is a day of great joy because Jesus conquered death

Background

This Gospel passage focuses on the discovery of the empty tomb rather than an appearance of the risen Christ. The empty tomb itself is evidence, not proof, of the Resurrection. The detail about the burial cloths lying there, with the face cloth rolled up separately, suggests an orderly departure rather than a hasty theft. John notes that the other disciple 'saw and believed,' indicating that faith in the Resurrection began at this moment, even before Jesus appeared. The theological weight here is that the Resurrection is the central mystery of Christian faith: Christ has conquered death itself, opening eternal life to all believers. For children, emphasize the discovery and the joy of finding that Jesus is alive. Set aside theological discussions of bodily resurrection versus spiritual resurrection, or debates about the historicity of the empty tomb. Focus on the concrete image of running to the tomb and the excitement of discovering Jesus is not there because he has risen.

Session Flow

Opening Prayer

Invite the children to pray with you, then read the opening prayer below. If many don't know the sign of the cross, teach the whole group.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Dear Jesus, thank you for this happy day when we celebrate that you are alive. Help us to feel the joy of Easter in our hearts and to share that joy with everyone we meet. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Warm-up

Ask the warm-up question before the reading. There are no wrong answers; this is just to help the children connect today's reading to their own lives.

Have you ever been so excited about something that you ran as fast as you could to see it or to tell someone about it?

Example: Yes, one time I ran really fast to my grandma when she came to visit because I was so excited to see her and give her a big hug.

Bridge to the reading: In today's reading, we will hear about two friends of Jesus who were so amazed by news they heard that they ran as fast as they could to see something for themselves.

Read the Scripture

Read the day's selected passage aloud. The full Scripture text is not included here. Use a Children's Lectionary if your parish has one available. A children's Bible may also be helpful for younger children. Otherwise, read from a standard lectionary, Bible, or USCCB.org. Read slowly, with short pauses.

Reading Questions

Ask the questions conversationally. You do not need to use every question if time is short. The example answers are for leader preparation, not scripts or required answers.

  1. Who went to the tomb early in the morning when it was still dark?

    Example: Mary Magdalene went to the tomb really early in the morning, before the sun came up, when it was still dark outside.

  2. What did Mary find when she got to the tomb?

    Example: Mary found that the big stone had been moved away from the entrance, and the tomb was open.

  3. What did Peter and the other disciple do when Mary told them the news?

    Example: Peter and the other disciple ran as fast as they could to the tomb to see what happened for themselves.

  4. Why do you think they ran instead of walking?

    Example: I think they ran because they were so surprised and excited and maybe a little worried, and they really wanted to know what happened to Jesus.

Application Questions

Use these questions to help the children connect the reading to their own lives this week. Simple, concrete answers are best.

  1. How do you feel when you hear that Jesus is alive on Easter?

    Example: I feel really happy and excited because it means Jesus is still with us and he loves us so much.

  2. Who is someone in your family you could share the happy news of Easter with?

    Example: I could tell my little brother about how Jesus is alive and that is why we celebrate and have an Easter egg hunt.

  3. This week, how could you show that you are happy Jesus is alive?

    Example: I could be extra kind to my friends at school and smile a lot because I am so happy that Jesus rose from the dead.

Recap

Today we heard how Mary Magdalene found the empty tomb on Easter morning. She ran to tell Peter and the other disciple, and they raced to see for themselves. The tomb was empty because Jesus had risen from the dead. This is why we celebrate Easter with such great joy: Jesus is alive!

Prayer of the Faithful

Before returning to the assembly, invite the children to share their own prayer intentions. Their prayers may be serious, simple, funny, or very specific. After each child's prayer, the group may respond: "Lord, hear our prayer." Lastly, include the suggested prayer below.

For all the children around the world who are learning about the joy of Easter for the first time, that they may come to know and love Jesus, we pray to the Lord.

Closing Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Loving God, thank you for the joy of Easter and for the good news that Jesus is risen. Help us to carry this happiness in our hearts and to share your love with everyone we meet this week. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

ChildrensLiturgy.org

The Empty Tomb

John 20:1-9

Word Search

Optional activity: use the word search after the discussion if you have time, or send it home with the children. The words relate to today's Children's Liturgy Scripture passage.

V N R X D Y X Q I G E J E Q S
Q Z H L T X T D X V F B W J Q
S R P G O N N B E P E T E R Z
A D K N M V F I W M R T T J Q
E O B I B G L J Y S E Q L U Q
R L Z N E E Z J R H T I A I U
C V V R B E M G A T S D J H Q
X C L O W S U T M O A Y Q J O
X V M M X X K L C L E H W P B
R T D F O Q X J B C E I D Y T
K K K K D I S C I P L E L T L
L G D C Z V K I C M E N O T S
J C Z A C Y U R X X R I S E N
R J O Y P I H X U D G Z W Q K
T N L R K A L I V E Y Y D N C

Words to find

  • Easter
  • tomb
  • risen
  • Mary
  • Peter
  • stone
  • morning
  • alive
  • cloths
  • disciple
  • joy
  • believe

ChildrensLiturgy.org