Bestselling writer Anthony DeStefano of New Jersey was bored with commercialism and secular tradition overrunning the true that means of Easter — so he wrote a ebook to “Christianize” the story of the Easter Bunny.
“The Story of the First Easter Bunny” tells of a “small bunny with very giant ears” who lives together with his ailing mom close to Jerusalem throughout the time of Christ.
Determined to search out assist for his mom, the bunny hears of a person who can heal together with his palms — a person named Jesus.
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The bunny goes on a journey and finds not solely Jesus — but additionally witnesses the Final Supper, the crucifixion and even the Resurrection on the very first Easter Sunday.
After experiencing a miracle, the bunny then spreads the message of Jesus Christ world wide, and “many had been saved, as a result of they believed the life-changing information that they’d acquired.”
DeStefano instructed Fox Information Digital that the thought of a kids’s ebook that linked the Easter Bunny with the true that means of Easter had been an concept of his for some time, however he couldn’t fairly work out how he wished to do it.
The Easter Bunny, who seeks out Jesus Christ to heal his sick mom, witnesses the occasions of the gospel after which preaches the story of Jesus in “The Story of the First Easter Bunny” by Anthony DeStefano, at proper. (Sophia Institute Press/Courtesy of Anthony DeStefano)
Then in the future at Mass, DeStefano heard the phrase, “He who has ears to listen to, let him hear.”
“I am very effectively conscious that in Christian theology, the phrase ‘having ears to listen to’ means one thing very completely different than merely listening to phrases,” he stated.
Slightly, “It is about understanding these phrases, internalizing their message — and thru that energetic listening, you may bear a lot fruit within the kingdom of heaven,” he stated.
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“So it struck me that since bunnies have monumental ears, in my story [those ears] develop into a logo for non secular receptivity,” stated DeStefano — “the best way Christians are alleged to take heed to God.”
As soon as he made this connection, he wrote his story in a matter of weeks, he instructed Fox Information Digital.
“I wrote my ebook as a result of I assumed there was a manner to make use of the Easter Bunny for a deeply non secular objective,” he stated in a telephone interview.
Anthony DeStefano, pictured right here with a few of the characters from his books, was impressed to jot down “The Story of the First Easter Bunny” to assist dad and mom train their kids the story of Easter. (Anthony DeStefano)
He additionally wished to assist dad and mom train the story of Easter to their kids.
“I do know the Easter Bunny isn’t inherently Catholic, however I do suppose it may be successfully deployed by Catholic dad and mom as a manner so as to add to the festivity of the Easter celebration, whereas on the identical time instructing kids concerning the demise and resurrection of Christ in a manner that’s not so horrifying,” stated DeStefano.
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Easter, whereas it is an important Christian feast day, “essentially entails the brutal execution of somebody, and, demise might be very scary for kids,” he stated.
“However to have the ability to give youngsters an concept of what the crucifixion and the resurrection are all about, by using an cute Easter bunny in a manner that is not so horrifying — it’s useful.”
In writing the ebook, DeStefano sought to “merge the secular with the sacred” however in a manner that doesn’t “water down” or compromise the that means of Easter, he stated.
“You may get the very critical Easter message throughout, and nonetheless protect the enjoyment, innocence and enjoyable of childhood.”
Within the ebook, the Easter Bunny witnesses Christ’s command to St. John to handle His mom, the Virgin Mary.
“There’s plenty of theological significance in that type of entrustment, after all, but it surely’s additionally strictly true, on a private degree, that Jesus wished to be sure that His mother can be OK after He died,” stated DeStefano.
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“And I assumed that, if the bunny within the story had a sick mom, and if he witnessed the crucifixion and heard together with his huge bunny ears that Jesus had taken care of His personal mom, that which may present him with an much more poignant purpose for visiting Jesus’s tomb afterward,” stated DeStefano.
“The truth that the bunny has a sick mom makes it simpler for him to narrate to Jesus and subsequently simpler for audiences to narrate to the bunny.”
The crucifixion might be scary for kids and difficult for folks to elucidate — however the character of the bunny makes the occasion extra approachable for youths, stated one New Jersey-based writer. (iStock)
Added the writer, “All of us have moms.”
With the Easter Bunny serving as witness to the occasions of the gospel, “you may get the very critical Easter message throughout, and nonetheless protect the enjoyment, innocence and enjoyable of childhood,” he stated.
Additionally it is a strategy to “strike again on the secular tradition.”
The trendy tradition “is all the time attempting its greatest to de-Christianize our holidays, all the time attempting to offer kids worldly messages,” he stated.
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“And beating them at their very own worldly sport is an especially satisfying factor to do — particularly on the day we commemorate Christ’s final victory over the world,” DeStefano stated.
That is additionally a strategy to “strike again on the secular tradition.”
DeStefano has written 5 bestselling Christian books for adults, together with “A Journey Information to Heaven” and “Ten Prayers God All the time Says Sure To.” As well as, he is written eight earlier bestselling books for kids, together with “The Donkey That No One May Trip” and “Little Star.”
“The Story of the First Easter Bunny” is revealed by Sophia Institute Press and might be bought wherever books are offered, together with at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
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