Our neighbourhood has its own Easter bunny — but not the kind you’re thinking of.

It’s not Santa’s forgotten sidekick, or a cheerful adult in a rabbit costume.

Forgive the bluntness… but I’m talking about roadkill.

Yes, every time we walk our usual neighbourhood loop with our 21-month-old daughter, we’re forced to pass by the carcass of this rather unfortunate creature lying there in the gutter.

It’s hopeless trying to distract Squish — at her height, the tragic scene is impossible to miss. And it doesn’t help that bunnies are our daughter’s stuffed toy of choice. She has a cot full of them back at home.

So, we’ve chosen to face reality — or rather, to help our toddler face it. Without being too morbid, we’ve begun using the flatpack furball as a cautionary tale about stepping off the footpath and onto a busy road.

What does any of this have to do with Easter?

Time for story number two.

Death and Resurrection

The other night, Squish asked me to read her favourite book, the Bible, or a picture book version of it, in any case. We began on her favourite page — “Baby Jesus” — and proceeded through the entire Gospel account, her eyes glued to each page.

Then we got to the death of Christ. At that moment, I was reminded of just how stark the events of Easter truly are. Just like the bunny on the road, there’s no sugar-coating it or avoiding the topic. Right there in my toddler’s storybook was her favourite character hanging from a wooden cross.

So, I applied the same strategy, and told Squish the truth: Jesus died.

But what is death to such a young child?

Death is the bunny on the road. It’s her only reference point. So I made the connection explicit.

“Just like the bunny on the road, Jesus died. He died for us. We should have been on that cross, but He died instead to take away our sins.”

Yes, there’s a whole lot of vocabulary there that went straight over her head, and that she’ll learn in time.

But now she knows that Jesus died — all thanks to a stray rabbit. Our local “Easter bunny”.

Here’s the Easter story I’ll be reading to Squish when she’s a little older — with excerpts from Mark chapters 15 and 16 (NIRV):

At noon, darkness covered the whole land. It lasted three hours.  At three o’clock in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” This means “My God, my God, why have You deserted Me?” …

With a loud cry, Jesus took His last breath.

The temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom. A Roman commander was standing there in front of Jesus. He saw how Jesus died. Then he said, “This man was surely the Son of God!” …

The Sabbath day ended. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices. They were going to use them for Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, they were on their way to the tomb. It was just after sunrise. They asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb?”

Then they looked up and saw that the stone had been rolled away. The stone was very large. They entered the tomb. As they did, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe. He was sitting on the right side. They were alarmed.

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, Who was crucified. But He has risen! He is not here! See the place where they had put Him. Go! Tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him. It will be just as He told you.’ ”

May the Easter story come alive for you and your children this Holy Week.

He is risen!

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Image courtesy of Adobe.