After Jesus rode into the big city of Jerusalem on a donkey, the crowds waved palms and laid their coats on the road, like they were welcoming a king. The crowds followed Jesus to listen to him teach. His closest followers and friends were called “disciples.”

The priests and other leaders of the city did not like Jesus and wanted to get rid of him.  They tried to find a way to kill Jesus but they couldn’t do it with so many people around. One of the disciples named Judas had a bad idea. He told the temple leaders that he would help them capture Jesus if they would pay him money. 

Jesus and his closest friends were all Jewish. Every year Jews celebrated a special meal called Passover. Jesus invited 12 of his closest friends to eat it with him. When they all sat down to dinner, Jesus told them  he knew one of them would betray him. The disciples looked at each other in shock. Jesus told Judas to go and do what he had planned to do. Just then Judas got up from the table and left the room.

Jesus thanked God for the bread and shared it with the disciples and said, "Take this and eat it. This is my body which is given for you".  Then he took a full cup of wine, thanked God for it and said, "This is my blood, which will be poured out for many people so their sins may be forgiven." They all took a sip from the cup. 

Then Jesus said, “I will not be with you much longer. But do not worry. Do not be afraid. I will come back. You are my friends. Love each other as I love you.”

After the Passover meal, Jesus went out toward the Mount of Olives, and took a few of his friends with him. Let us walk together to the place where they went.