I was dyeing Easter eggs with Oliver this afternoon when it occurred to me that I hadn't told him what our plans were for Easter Sunday.
"So Oliver, Easter is this Sunday, and we'll be going to Grandpa's church, and then-"
"Why?" he interrupted.
"Because-" and then it occurred to me that not only had I not told him what our plans were for Easter Sunday...I hadn't told him about Easter.
"Oliver, do you know why we celebrate Easter?"
"Uh, no?"
Of course I told him all about Easter last year, but last year he was 3 1/2. Kids understand things differently at age 4 than they did at age 3. So I needed to tell him again. And I was ashamed to think of how much we had already talked up the Easter baskets and the Angry Birds Easter eggs and the party we'd have, decorating our own cookies. All of these things...and nothing about the Gospel.
"Well, you know how Jesus loves us so, so much, right?" I began.
"Yep."
"He loves us so much, that he told us that He'd love us and forgive us even when we do bad things. And He promises that if we love Him, we can live in heaven with Him forever!"
"Oh."
"So when Jesus was here on this earth, some people didn't believe him. They thought he was lying, and they decided to kill him," I said, explaining without gore but with the weight of the truth of how Jesus was nailed to the cross.
"Oh. Did it hurt Him?"
"Yes. It hurt Him very much."
"But I don't want Jesus to hurt. Did He cry?"
"Yes," I said as my own eyes started to tear up. "It hurt Him very much and He cried. It is very sad."
"And then the cross fell down and He died?"
"Well, no, after He died, they took the nails out, took His body down and put it in a tomb, which is like a cave. But here's what's amazing: three days after He died, He became alive again! He wanted to show everyone that He was telling the truth, and that people who loved Him won't die forever because He had power over dying. So then He went to heaven to get it ready for us. And do you know why heaven is so amazing?"
"Why?"
"Because in heaven, we will never have any owies again. No scraped knees, we won't get sick, we won't ever, ever hurt again. We won't be sad, or angry; just happy, for forever. We'll get to be with Jesus for forever. And other people that love Jesus too? Will be in heaven with us. We'll get to see people who already died in heaven. Like, we'll see Dakota [our dog-in-law who died last year] and Gin [my friend who died this winter]. They'll be there waiting for us in heaven."
Oliver continued to put stickers on his Easter egg, then paused and said, "Mommy! Tell me that great story again."
And I did: over, and over, and over again.
This Easter, may you hear, reflect, and live this great story as if through the eyes of a child: trusting in its truth, amazed at its drama, and looking in expectant hope for what is coming. He is risen. He is risen indeed!
Amen.
