The Elusive Easter Bunny

In this photo the rumors are validated. April 10, 2012, this baby bunny emerged from the bushes, unaware that anyone would notice its appearance.

Cautiously emerging from the bushes, this little bunny surveys the many people in this mall parking lot, taking notes regarding how many houses it must visit next year.

It seems funny that for most people the image of Easter is a bunny. Funny bunny. But how funny is it that the greatest announcement in the history of the cosmos is reduced to chocolate bunnies and marshmallow chicks, jelly beans and chocolate eggs, and little white lies that later disappoint children and promote distrust of the word of their parents and grandparents.

Is it any wonder that Darwin despaired of trying to convince himself to believe the promises of the resurrection and turned instead to trust in imaginary science based on fiction far more disappointing than imaginary Easter Rabbits? At least one can actually find little bunnies like that one in this photo. Where are the countless necessary mutations that advance in genetic order upon which the evolutionist fairy tale is based? Not one documented case exists.

How sad that this is called “science.”

Oh well.

Yet the risen Lord has been seen by many. Multiple accounts have been recorded. His Church has spread throughout the world and His presence is regularly observed in the blessed Sacrament as well as through the wonders produced through it. The greatest force in the universe, the Forgiveness of Sins and the new life of grace, mercy, and peace generated through the gift of the Holy Spirit in Baptism, is observed continually.

And if cute and cuddly is what wows a person, what is more wonderful than to observe a baby emerging from the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit to live in the newness of everlasting life in God’s Holy Communion?

+ + +

Feed Me! Feed ME!

Here are some photos of some baby grackles that were in a nest in a tree that I pruned and cleaned earlier this year.

These little baby birds stand as an example of all of creation since the fall of man into sin. Since Adam chose to invent the notion of free will, which is nothing more than rebellion against God’s declared will, this is the way of the world. Me! ME! ME!!

These little baby birdies exemplify the selfishness that rules over us and over all of creation since that day that Adam decided that he could rise up for himself rather than trusting the goodness of the Lord.

They care not for their siblings. “Feed me!” “Feed ME!” “Feed ME!!” They each care only for self, jumping at the slightest vibration, striving to rise up above one another to be the one to receive the food that the parents carry to the nest.

Until the Holy Spirit intervenes, coming to us in our baptism to regenerate us from above, we are just like these little birdies. “Me. Me! ME!!”

Entirely contrary to what so-called naturalists and environmentalists and scientists try to convince us, this way is not at all natural. This is not the way that the Lord ordained for His creation. This is what man caused through his imaginary free will. Tempted by the devil to imagine that choosing for himself was better than trusting the good that the Lord had established and declared, Adam brought death and all of the unnatural daily consequences of death to the world. All of creation moans and groans under this burden.

Yet the Lord reacted in a way that is very foreign to our ways. He overturned the destruction that Adam imposed upon us. While the Lord most assuredly is angry over the sin that Adam chose for us, the way of death and destruction that the devil tricked the first two humans to accept and choose for themselves and all future generations, wrath is not the Lord’s primary reaction. His wrath is actually His secondary response.

His first and primary response is to look upon us with love and mercy. His wrath is displayed so that we may be made aware of what our rebellion causes. Much like a loving parent will spank a young child so as to steer their beloved child away from things that are harmful, so God uses His displays of wrath to make us aware that we need to hear Him and be restored by Him to the way of everlasting safety. Love is the true attitude of God toward us, even in His displays of wrath.

At the Last Day, those who have refused to hear and be turned will be sent away from God’s presence. Their belligerent choice to be separated from the Lord will be enacted fully. Since all of God’s loving acts to call them into His repentance were ignored and defied, they shall finally receive the wrath that has been stored up for the devil and all who follow him. They shall be sent off to the place where they will be confined together forever. Then they will bring upon themselves the fullness of what the Lord lovingly and mercifully limited during the present age. All of the evil that they hold in their hearts will become fully manifest and the terror that God has prevented, they will unleash on one another forevermore.

Yet these little birdies also display something of value. While they do display selfishness, nevertheless they also remind us of our absolute dependence upon our heavenly Father for all good things. While we should not be like the birdies in striving to rise up above one another but should trust that the Lord knows our needs and will provide for us fully in the appropriate time, yet we can learn from the birdies that we should indeed look up and cry out to the Lord for our every need. Such trust will never leave us disappointed.

Here is another photo, a photo of a tiny little bunny that scooted in front of me where I park my work truck. (Click photo for larger view.)

This little bunny was almost 4 inches long. It had not yet learned to hop but simply scurried as quickly as its little bitty legs would carry it. This little one also reminds us of our dependence upon the Lord. We are just little babes who need His continual care. He treasures us and wants good things for us. When we look to Him in faith, we see this.

† † †

Funny Bunnies

This pair of bunnies appears not to mind at all that our lawn is overdue for mowing.

I continue to be amazed that bunnies like these manage to survive in the city. There are numerous cats that prowl freely throughout our yard and the entire neighborhood. These little bunnies roam the same territory.

How do they evade being killed and eaten?

Their primary survival skill seems to be patience. When even a hint of danger is sensed, they crouch down and become very, very still. They don’t move a muscle. They do not even twitch their ears. Total silence seems to be their defense.

Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned from these tender little creatures.

Certainly there are times when remaining quiet and still is the best thing to do.

. . .

. . .

. . .

However, people are not little bunnies who have no responsibilities in the world. People have been declared by God to be the gods of this world. People have been given dominion over all that exists in this world.

Most especially, those who have heard the Gospel so as to be made to be members of the body of Christ, the Church, these souls who in many ways appear to be poor little bunnies in a world full of cats and other predators, have been given a message to share.

But how is that message given? How is that precious good news ordained to be shared? How has Christ Himself ordained that this message is to be told?

First and foremost, this blessed good news is poured out in the gathering of the saints, the holy communion of saints, the Church. Through the regular congregating to the pure administration of the means of grace, the little innocent saints are kept alive. They quietly respond to the calling of the Holy Spirit to be nurtured and fed within the gathering that the Holy Spirit creates.

Within this gathering the little babies are baptized into the body of Christ, the kingdom of God. Through the continual catechesis of the divine liturgy and the sermons and the hymns and especially through the Holy Supper, the gentle children of God are preserved and fed and strengthened and kept safe.

But God’s little bunnies, His beloved children, do not stay hidden. He brings them forth into the world through their daily activities where all the world sees them for who they are. Sometimes people ask about the life that is observed. Sometimes the Lord’s children speak out on issues or even directly confront their neighbors and friends and coworkers. Mostly they live their lives, gently and quietly performing their various duties within their various vocations. Their mealtime prayers, their regular attendance in the gatherings for the divine services, their visitation of the sick and shut-ins, their kind words and actions toward those who are hurting or needy, these all announce their peculiar identity in connection with Christ.

Sometimes God’s children do simply have to be quiet and still and let the world go by them. They are not empowered to attack. They have been empowered with gentleness and peace. They have no worldly sword or armor. Their armor is the Word of God, Jesus. Their armor is spiritual armor, designed to keep them safe from that which destroys not only the body but also the soul. Unlike the little bunnies in the yard, God’s children are safe regardless of what bodily harm that they may encounter. They have been baptized into the one who is the way, the truth, and the life. They have been brought into the life that never ends. They have been incorporated into the one who is the Resurrection and the Life. Thus like the one into whom they have been buried and raised, so they also bear the world’s scorn and ridicule and slander and attacks and persecution, knowing and believing that none of these things, not even death, can harm them.

Observing the little bunnies in the yard, I cannot imagine anyone ever even considering the possibility of counting them as anything but gentle creatures. Such also is the witness of the true Church on earth.


† † †

Ooohhh! Poor Thing!

This morning I was awakened by a sound that cut through my drowsiness and caused me to jump from bed to peer out the window leerily.

It was a squeaking, the kind of terrified squeaking that a small creature makes in the face of pain and death.

Outside the window was that old gray cat with a baby by the neck. I could not tell for certain whether it was mouse or a bunny. It held the little thing and kept biting the neck till it stopped moving and squeaking. Then it dropped it and bounded a few feet back, pausing for a few moments and then bounded into the flower bed from whence a brand new squeaking immediately ensued.

I felt sick. I hate death. I hate suffering.

I went out a bit later to confirm what I had observed. Indeed it was a baby bunny.



I felt especially badly, knowing that cats often kill just for the “fun-of-it,” leaving the “toy” after it stops functioning. Even though the silly bunnies eat our garden vegetables and cause other little problems, I still felt badly, especially thinking that it had been wasted rather than consumed by the mean old cat.

A while later I checked through the window and could not find the little carcass. I went out and checked and found that indeed the little snack bunny had not been wasted after all, but had been carried off with its sibling to be food for little baby kitties (presumably anyway).

While I was somewhat relieved to know that the food value of the bunny was not wasted after all, I nevertheless was reminded of the painful reality of the curse upon the creation and upon the ground for Mankind’s sake.

And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. (Genesis 3:17-20)

Yes! A painful reminder of how the choices of Mankind have brought such terrible things into the world. Because Adam listened to his wife rather than to the Lord, sin was introduced to the world, and with sin, the separation from Life, Life which exists only in communion with God. Sin, death, and the power of the devil now would rule over mankind.

But this would not do. The Lord already had established the plan of salvation. He was ready for this tragedy.

“Cursed is the ground for thy sake!”

Mankind chose the way of accursedness. But the Lord overruled Man’s choice and cursed the ground for Man’s sake. The ground or the earth became cursed so that Man would be set free. The earth became cursed so that Man would be called to repentance and faith and receive the redemption that was promised through the Seed of Woman. Now mankind would live in hope again, as Adam immediately declared, giving a new name to his wife. Now her name was Eve, or Life. This is what the Gospel does for those who openly hear what is declared by the curse that is placed upon the earth for Man’s sake. The Gospel turns the heart away from the way of accursedness and away from the way of death, so that Life is restored through the renewal of God’s holy communion in Christ with the one in whom repentance and faith has been worked.

So little bunny, so old gray cat, thank you for the reminder. While the seasons of Lent and Easter have already come and gone in the Church Year, nevertheless, the cursed earth continually cries out so that we may hear the blessed Gospel and rejoice in God’s goodness.

Thank you little bunny. Thank you hungry kitty.

Thank you God!