You’ve heard of the Easter Bunny, but do you know about Easter insects?  First is the butterfly which begins life as a caterpillar often found crawling on plants. Then the caterpillar attaches itself in some protected place becoming a chrysalis which in some species is enclosed in a silk cocoon. It looks like it’s dead. One day a fully grown butterfly with amazing wings emerges. This natural sequence has been treated symbolically as representing Jesus earthly life, his three days in the tomb, and finally his resurrection.

While today the butterfly is often used on Easter banners and paraments as symbol of the resurrection, it can also be found in renascence painting where a butterfly is shown sitting on a finger of the Christ Child as he is held by Mary. It shows the Child’s destiny as the risen Savior.

Here’s a  Madonna and Child by Cornelius van Cleve

Another Easter insect is the bee. The most important worship service in Christianity has long been the Easter Vigil with its ceremonies of lighting the paschal candle, reading of lessons, and baptisms. After lighting the candle, a call to rejoice is sung followed by a lengthy prayer giving thanks for  the light of the resurrection that is reflected in the light of the candle which “is fed by the melting wax which the bees, your servants, have made for the substance of this candle.” So even the bees contribute to the Easter celebration.

Everywhere you look are the signs. Christ is risen. He is risen indeed, alleluia!

Read 1Corinthians 15:20-22 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne