The hullabaloo about Easter eggs

Jesus had no servants, yet they called Him Master.
Had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher.
Had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer.
Had no army, yet kings feared Him.
He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world.
He commited no crime, yet they crucified Him.
He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.

I got the above text from an Easter greeting from one of my former college professors.

*****

Hesus ng Aking Buhay
Arnel dc. Aquino, SJ

Sikat ng umaga, buhos ng ulan
simoy ng dapithapon, sinag ng buwan;
batis na malinaw, dagat na bughaw
Gayon ang Panginoon kong Hesus ng aking buhay

Saan man ako bumaling, Ika'y naroon
tumalikod man sa 'Yo, dakilang pag-ibig Mo
sa akin tatawag at magpapaalalang
ako'y 'Yong ginigiliw
at siyang itatapat sa puso

Tinig ng kaibigan, oyayi ng ina
pangarap ng ulila, bisig ng dukha
ilaw ng may takot, ginhawa ng aba
Gayon ang Panginoon kong Hesus ng aking buhay

This one's my favorite among the Himig Heswita songs. Beautiful, beautiful.

*****

So, why do we have the bunny and the eggs when we celebrate Easter? These are actually non-Catholic beliefs. Then again, what Catholic text stipulates the observance of the Easter bunny anyway? In the same way that Santa Claus is to Christmas, the Easter bunny is to well, Easter. Shopping centers make a killing selling brightly decorated eggs and cute, fluffy bunnies. Country clubs and hotels organize egg hunts complete with matching buffet meals and entertainment.

Whenever someone would ask me about the egg's role in the Easter celebration, I would simply give some vague response about the egg symbolizing life, etc., etc--no, Jesus did NOT come from an egg, blah blah blah. The egg, according to About, is a Roman symbol for the seed of life. The bunny on the other hand was some sort of fertility symbol (you can imagine why). The bunny or hare's spirit was said to lay eggs in the grass, and thus the egg hunts were born. These practices persist and have been morphed by commercialism into the festive Easter traditions we have today.

Ah, another side to the Easter bunny's cute fluffiness.