On Facebook today, there was some Medieval click bait. Trapped by my own curiosity, I click on the link to find photos of Medieval manuscripts. In these photos, the “Easter Bunny” was murdering people. “Wow!” I thought to myself. Finally, someone understands Easter! (Reflections on the Easter Bunny)
—
I don’t know, for sure, where the idea of the Easter Bunny came from. What I do know is that, often, he (or she?) is a cute bunny associated with Spring.
Bunnies, if you didn’t know it, have a reputation of reproducing constantly. It’s a sign of spring, new life, or, for Christians, resurrection. So, it would seem that bunnies are an appropriate image for Easter – even if it’s more secular than religious.
However, there’s one very important aspect of Christianity that’s missing in this “symbol” of new life. But, before I discuss what and why, let’s take a look at the photos (the original site can be found here).
One aspect of Christianity (and resurrection) that we often forget is that it has to be proceeded by death. Christ reminds us of that when he said,
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. (John 12:24 RSV)
Christ, born of fragile and corrupt human nature, couldn’t ascend into heaven unless his flesh was transfigured – born anew – but that couldn’t happen until the old flesh had crumbled away, purged of its flaws. Christ had to die, turning the tomb into a womb before he could rise on Easter Sunday.
And, surprisingly, it’s the same for us as well! We are called to die with Christ, purge ourselves of our ego, finding our center and identity, not in ourselves, but in Christ. We have to die so that we can be reborn.
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3 RSV)
This is much more than a simple “sinner’s prayer” accepting Christ into our hearts. It’s a synergy in which we cooperate with the Holy Spirit, putting ourselves to death so that we can be filled with the life of the Spirit. This, in essence, is why baptism, is death.
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:3-4 RSV)
By putting ourselves to death, our hard hearts are softened as we grow closer to God. We learn to get around the obstacles that hinder us in life, to tear away dead skin, and to let the “life of Christ rise in us by the power of his resurrection” (Olivier Clément, The Roots of Christian Mysticism, pg. 106). For many of us, to overcome our obstacles, our sins, can be a painful experience. We’re often comfortable in our sinfulness. But it’s through our suffering – the taking up of our cross – that our death becomes a womb into eternal life.
So, why are the bunnies murdering us? Because the bunnies represent Easter the message. In order for us to be united to Christ, we have to die to ourselves. The bunnies, in this case, are helping us along!
P.S. Come, Live for Christ!
St. Elias the Prophet (419 N. Grandview Ave., Dubuque)
Saturdays: Great Vespers, 4 pm
Sundays: Orthros, 9 am; Divine Liturgy, 10 am
Or find your nearest Orthodox Church by clicking here