As my four year old daughter and I left a department store yesterday, we were confronted by a giant electronic Easter Bunny that was rising out of a cracked egg. The bunny’s arms were outstretched and it had a silly grin on its face, and then it suddenly dropped back inside the egg, keeping my daughter spellbound. After a few seconds, the bunny rose again with that silly grin and floppy ears, and I hurried my daughter away, knowing that she loved it, but the problem for me is that this kind of thing reconfirms what she has been seeing for weeks now.
Everywhere we go there are bunnies, little chickens, colorful Easter eggs, and baskets overflowing with candy and toys. If she were to judge by just what she has seen, Easter would be about nothing but a bunny who inexplicably comes from an egg and then distributes more of them along with goodies to good little girls and boys. There is nothing there that is religious in nature, and that’s probably why it is appealingly safe for retailers, school teachers, and advertisers.
Let’s face it, Holy Week is a difficult concept when one looks at the reality of it. As palms were distributed for Palm Sunday in our church, my daughter watched silently and listened to the readings. When we went outside after Mass, she asked me if the palms were like flowers because Jesus had died. I went on to explain what they meant and also that we would talk more about how and why Jesus died later on. This little exchange reminded me of a time (I must have been around five) when I told my father that I liked the Baby Jesus much better than the older Jesus. Of course, Baby Jesus is soft, cuddly, and easy to like (and he comes at Christmas along with Santa and his toys), but the adult Jesus who dies on the cross is a tough thing for a child to understand let alone like.
Growing up as a Catholic here in New York City, I was probably more confused about Holy Week than anything else in the faith I was being taught. The good Dominican Sisters in my school did their best to instill the catechism and scripture in our hearts, but my mind wandered sometimes back to only a few months before when we were celebrating the birth of a little baby. When I was very young, I didn’t understand how that baby grew so fast between Christmas and Easter.
Article comments
1 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Great article, wonderfully written.
2 - Victor Lana
Thank you so very much, Gordon. It's appreciated.
3 - chantal stone
Beautifully written Victor. I also reflect in awe the deep meaning of this week to so many people, including myself, as a Christian.
The commercialism of this holiday always bothers me. A friend--who is easily consumed by materialism and commercialism--asked me the other day if I "celebrate" Easter. The question confused me, really, because I thought how does one actually celebrate? And I asked her this....what she meant of course was about the dying of eggs, Easter baskets for the kids, etc.
I said yes we do those things, just for the fun of it, for the kids' sake, but I reminded her of the deeper meaning of Easter, and in order to truly "celebrate" all that is necessary is Reverence.
Have a wonderful weekend, Victor.
4 - Josh
Good article. "Good Friday" may have originally been "God's Friday", and just eroded to "good" over the centuries.
5 - Lisa McKay
Great piece, Victor.
There's something about this time of year that affects everyone, I think, even us non-religious types, who still manage to find spiritual nourishment in the physical re-birth of the world that takes place all around us every spring. The archetypal themes of redemption and rebirth that underpin this holiday resonate with most people, regardless of their religious convictions. I think it conveys both hope and possibility, and the need to believe in both of those things is pretty universal.
6 - Victor Lana
Josh, that sounds very reasonable (just like "holy day" became "holiday"), still it always bothered me as a kid. Even today I feel depressed as I always have on Good Friday, so I don't feel too well and so on.
All will seem much brighter come Easter at sunrise.
7 - Diane Ensey
Your daughter and her questions reminds me of my brother when he was 5. The Sunday School teacher asked him what Easter was. My brother very solemnly said "It is the day that rabbits burned Jesus on the cross for being a witch". My mother was embarrassed and horrified, but the poor kid just had Halloween and Easter all mixed up.
Lovely post!
8 - Josh
Diane, that is about the most hilarious thing I've heard in a long time!
9 - Victor Lana
That is a great story, Diane. Kids say such fantastic things and you can't make it up any better.
10 - Baronius
Wow. Victor, if blogging has any purpose, it's for sharing articles like this.
11 - Victor Lana
Thank you for your kind comment, Baronius. It's appreciated.
12 - jimbobybob
attack attack
13 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Another fine article I managed to find as a result of some fool launching a spam attack.
I don't agree with the sentiments expressed above, Victor, but I can understand them, and the sense of mystery and awe you feel.
In addition, this was a fine piece of writing.
14 - Victor Lana
As always, Ruvy, I appreciate it when fine writers like you read my work and give praise. Thank you.