Was Jesus really dead?

Why are we, too, supposed to accept suffering in our lives and thus "take up our cross" and thereby follow Jesus?

Christians should not seek suffering, but when they are confronted with unavoidable suffering, it can become meaningful for them if they unite their sufferings with the sufferings of Christ: "Christ ... suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps" (1 Pet 2:21).

Jesus said, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Mk 8:34). Christians have the task of alleviating suffering in the world. Nevertheless, there will still be suffering. In faith we can accept our own suffering and share the suffering of others. In this way human suffering becomes united with the redeeming love of Christ and thus part of the divine power that changes the world for the better.

Was Jesus really dead? Maybe he was able to rise again because he only appeared to have suffered death.

Jesus really died on the Cross; his body was buried. All the sources testify to this.

In John 19:33ff., the soldiers even make an explicit determination of death: They open the side of Jesus' dead body with a lance and see blood and water come out. Furthermore, it says that the legs of the men crucified with him were broken - a step that hastened the dying process; this was not required in Jesus' case since his death had already occurred. (YOUCAT questions 102-103)

Dig Deeper: CCC section (618-630) and other references here.