Searching for Easter Eggs




I had a girl ask me this week why eggs are so important to Christians at Easter time. For as long as I can remember, colourful chocolate candied eggs have always been an integral part of my Easter Sunday. I would search like crazy over every nook and cranny of my house until I found each and every one of these sweat treasures that this supposed bunny had placed the night before.

I don’t know why the whole chocolate Easter candy has become so popular but I do know that that eggs have been a central component of the Easter these for centuries. There is an old Palestinian story of Mary and Martha, two of Jesus’ closest followers, where Martha is running down the road shouting for joy after she had heard that the tomb was empty and that Jesus had risen from the dead. In her excitement, she comes across her sister Mary returning to the house carrying a bowl of eggs on her head. Martha tries frantically to explain the miracle to her sister but Mary is stubborn and refuses to believe that such a thing could be possible. She declares, “if what you say is true then may all the eggs on my head change into all of the colours of the earth.” Sure enough, when she takes the basket down from her head she is amazed at the rainbow of colour that is before her.

Eggs have of course been a key part of pagan rituals around the spring equinox long before Christianity became a dominant religious force in the West. Representing fertility and re-birth, the end of death and the beginning of life, eggs easily became important spiritual symbols explaining the significance of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. The light could not be held back by the darkness, bringing life and new hope to all corners of the earth. The spiritual journey of Christianity involves searching for this light, allowing oneself to go both through the pain of the crucifixion and the joy of the resurrection. This is just like searching for Easter eggs in a way as we find the gifts of love, peace and wisdom that are “hidden” among us all the time.

I was raised within the Mennonite Christian tradition but have long found myself drawn by more personal forms of spirituality and theological pluralism. I strongly identify with the message of the Easter Story, not only because of the significance of the Passion Week but with the simple and enduring message of redemption and new life. This is the good news that I believe that we Christians share with many of the other lovers of light and followers of the higher power throughout the world. The world needs to hear this message and it is up to us believers to make it heard.

Spirituality is a journey and there are many eggs to be found along the way. May you enjoy many blessings in your search, share with others the things you have found and eagerly seek for all that is still to come.

Halleluiah – One Love – Raise your soul

Jared