As I wake up Easter morning, I feel like I anticipate the satisfaction of a chocolate egg rather than the joy of celebrating the resurrection of Jesus, the event of history that gives me life! Caught up in commercialization once again...So I did a little research to see if the "easter egg" tradition had anything to do with Jesus Christ. Here's what I found, (a slliiiiiiight connection):
Okay, so the name "Easter" comes from the German name "Eostre," who was a pagan goddess associated with spring... and things like hares and eggs. ehhh... pretty far from Jesus. Then we have the adaptation of eggs from a traditional Persian celebration of the New Year. During the spring equinox people decorated eggs because they symbolized new life. We're getting warmer now!... New life... resurrection... I see, I see. Some closer connections I found were explanations about how in medieval times eggs were forbidden during Lent. So eggs laid during that time period were preserved by hard-boiling, and then after Easter, people chowed down on boiled eggs. Also I found a tale about Mary Magdelen, who in awe of the resurrection, exclaims, "Jesus is no more risen than these eggs are red" (as she points to the eggs in her basket they turn bright red)... so that's why we dye boiled eggs? Hahaaa cute. (?)
I do appreciate the symbolism however of this last theory. The egg shell symbolizes the tomb in which Jesus was buried. The color red signifies His blood which was shed and the cracking of the egg, and freedom of the life within the egg, symbolize re-birth and conquering death. Victory! The Easter egg actually connects to what easter really stands for!
Just think, if over a span of 2,000 years we've transformed this egg tradition into foiled covered chocolate... where's it going to be in a few more years? Let's hope somehow reconnected to the Savior.
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