LOOK, MOMMY, A BUTTERFLY!
Mark 9:2-9
The Transfiguration of Our Lord
Analysis by Ron Starenko
2Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain
apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3and his clothes became dazzling
white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. 4And there appeared to them Elijah with
Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5Then Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be
here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 6He did not
know what to say, for they were terrified. 7Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud
there came a voice, "This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!" 8Suddenly when they looked
around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.
9As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had
seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
Author's Note: Childrenand adults, tooare fascinated with butterflies, which, by the way,
portray in their life cycle not only a miraculous biological phenomenon, but also a theological
one as well, a transformation analogous to the teaching of Eastern Orthodoxy and the
justification-by-faith theology of Martin Luther (something I learned from Jaroslav Pelikan, one
of my seminary teachers).
DIAGNOSIS: The Climb: Our Rise and Fall "up a high mountain" (vv. 2 and. 6)
Step 1: Initial Diagnosis (External Problem) : Heading for the Top
Prior to the success of Apollo in the mid-sixties, Frank Sinatra had a romantic hit song called,
"Fly Me to the Moon," which includes the line, "you are all I long for, all I worship and adore," a
metaphor for whatever gives us a high, like having lots of money, a bigger house, a shiny new
car, the latest clothes, inhaling the sweet smell of success. The sky's the limit here, as we push
forward and upward, punishing ourselves and others, against the opposition, even if it kills us.
Peter, James, and John loved the feel of being on a mountain top, in the company of Jesus, no
less, an experience worth capturing in a frame or a bottle, the ultimate high. Who doesn't want to
have a view from the top? There's got to be more to life than living every day with the ordinary
and the mundane.
Step 2: Advanced Diagnosis (Internal Problem) : Finding Nothing There (v. 8)
Peter, James, and John were on cloud nine, "shooting the breeze" with the likes of Moses and
Elijah, if only for a moment, trying to enshrine the experience. In the blink of an eye, however,
the magic was gone, as they, looking around, "saw no one with them anymore, but only Jesus,"
which seemed to them like a disappointment in their fleeting ecstasy. Not an uncommon
experience for any of us too, to be sure, as we find all kinds of ways to set ourselves up for
disillusionment, following our heart's desire, yet never finding enough. How painful is that, to
discover that we are not kings or lords or stars or beautiful butterflies! Having bitten on Satan's
false promises, are we not more like scrubby worms, climbing and believing that this is "really
living?" Duped as we are, we are heading instead for a fatal crash, something we did not expect.
Step3: Final Diagnosis (Eternal Problem) : Falling to the Bottom "down the mountain" (v. 9)
Clearly, climbing is the wrong way to get high! Not only do our dreams get shattered which is
painful enough, we get crushed in the fall. Sometimes climbing is really falling, like the confused
pilot who doesn't trust his altimeter and goes into a fatal dive when he believes he is climbing.
Likewise, how tragic that we spend our time and energy and life to get to the top, only to plunge
to the bottom. Our first parents succumbed to the folly, falling when they thought they were
climbing, not heeding the One who had said, "...in the day that you sin you will surely die." The
Lord God was speaking not about expiring, which would be bad enough, but rather what would
be far worse, theologically speaking, falling into the bottomless pit, to end up without God, a
verdict that fills us will hellish fear, having no way out, where the "worm never dies."
PROGNOSIS: The Cocoon (v. 9)
Step 4: Initial Prognosis (Eternal Solution) : Going Down and Then Up
God's Butterfly to the rescue! If climbing leads to falling, then, to good-news-speaking, it would
take another kind of fall to set the stage for a rising: first a death, then a resurrection. A child asks
her mother, "Where do butterflies come from?" The mother replies, "A caterpillar, a fuzzy-like
worm with lots of legs, knows that to become a butterfly it must first make an amazing change,
weaving a cocoon around itself and die, then breaking out of the cocoon as a new creature, a
colorful butterfly, alive and free. Just like Jesus, who comes from God, who is God, who comes
down to us, becomes one of us worms, as though he were the only worm that deserved to die,
falls down to the bottom, into the depths of hell, squashed, to save us. Not a pretty sight. But
wait! There is beauty in it all! Death and the grave could not hold Jesus. On Easter he would
burst out of his cocoon as a butterfly, so that all worms could become butterflies, as alive and
free and beautiful as he is. Look how far he goes, down to where we live and die, in order to
change us into who he is, to become like God! Wow!
Step 5: Advanced Prognosis (Internal Solution) : Seeing the New
The sight of it all is so powerful that it transforms us. It is called faith, a new way of seeing and
believing and being. What an incredible transformation we receive by our faith, that, contrary to
what seems otherwise, what doesn't even seem possible, what we could never deserve, much less
accomplish by ourselves, is nevertheless a reality, how dying worms like us could become living
butterflies like Jesus! Even when we struggle with our doubts, as the disciples did when their
hopes were dashed, Jesus sent to them the Holy Spirit, as he today sends the same to us: to
restore our sight, to see the whole of life through the eyes of a butterfly. Look, Mommy, a
butterfly!
Step 6: Final Prognosis (External Solution) : Taking Flight, Blessed with Vision and Mobility
(v. 9)
Now, there's no more holding back. Since Jesus has come down the mountain, having descended
to the bottom, to hell, having endured the cross for our sakes and the whole creation, he is now in
endless flight to bless the universe. For that, he has chosen us no less, his offspring, to enter the
world as butterflies, to flower the world wherever we go. Transfigured, we take our flight as his
instruments of love and hope, reaching out to friends and neighbors who are dealing with
disillusionment and despair, befriending the lonely and the forgotten, the injured and the weak,
feeding the homeless and the hungry, supporting every effort to save the planet, thanking the
Creator, blessing the creation, blessing humanity. That's what beautiful butterflies get to do!
Look, Mommy!
A CHRISTIAN ANALOGY: BUTTERFLIES AND EASTER
My favorite analogy of the butterfly and my Christian belief about Easter, or Resurrection Day, is
the metamorphosis of a butterfly. This transformation process very beautifully depicts a
Christian's assurance of resurrection after death. Although the three distinct stages of a butterfly's
life are not recorded in the Bible, there IS much recorded about the three stages of a Christian's
life on earth. These three stages are truly analogous when it comes to a butterfly's life and a
Christian's life: Life, Death, and Rebirth.
Stage One: Life
The beautiful winged butterfly's life begins in Stage One as a starving, crawling, and often very
ugly caterpillar that hatched from a fertile butterfly egg. This caterpillar must immediately find a
food source from its unique "host" plant to survive. Caterpillars hatch having ravenous appetites
and eat almost constantly during this brief life stage. In fact, they literally eat themselves right
out of their skins! Amazingly, this is exactly what a caterpillar is supposed to do before it enters
its second stage -- the dark chrysalis or "death" stage. For you see, the caterpillar has then
finished its work on earth and must leave the rest up to its chrysalis and Mother Nature.
How is the butterfly's first life stage (the caterpillar) parallel to that of "stage one" of a Christian's
life?
When God created Adam and Eve, He created them in His pure and sinless image and placed
them in the Garden of Eden. God gave them only one commandment in order to remain in this
peaceful, lovely garden. They were NOT TO EAT the fruit of one specific tree in the garden or
they would surely die. Most of us know the story of how Eve was deceived into eating some fruit
from that forbidden tree, and then persuaded Adam to eat some too. As a result, God sent them
out of the Garden of Eden forever, as they had sinned against Him by eating this fruit. It was then
that Adam and Eve knew they would surely die -- not only physically but spiritually.
Stage Two: Death
Let's now return briefly to the lowly caterpillar's chrysalis. To observe a chrysalis that is attached
to a leaf or hanging motionlessly on the branch of a tree, one would surely think it was dead, or
perhaps just a part of the leaf or branch. From all outward appearances, a chrysalis really does
look lifeless. However, inside that chrysalis, mysterious changes are slowly taking place. This
stage is known as "metamorphosis" (i.e., transformation), and is at best difficult for most to
comprehend. It's true, scientists, entomologists, lepidopterists and others have explained "how"
metamorphosis occurs. But have they been able to completely explain the "why" of this amazing
process?
I'm definitely not an expert when it comes to explaining metamorphosis -- I simply know that it
happens and that it is both awesome and mysterious. What I DO know is that the caterpillar it
once was, is no more. Therefore, Stage Two refers to the "death" stage in the three life stages of
the butterfly.
How can this dark chrysalis stage (i.e., death stage) be equated with the death stage of a
Christian's life on earth? After all, Christians aren't "dead" people; they are very much alive! To
de-mystify this perplexing question, let's look at it from the Christian viewpoint, keeping the
caterpillar's "dead like" chrysalis in mind.
The moment Adam and Eve sinned, they began to die -- physically and spiritually. Since that
time, all mankind has been born with a sinful nature. Christians believe that God is loving, and
because he loves mankind, he made a provision by which man could be redeemed from his sins.
God sent his only son to live on earth for a time, knowing He would later be crucified as a
sacrifice for man's sins. While Christ lived on earth He was "dual-natured" -- meaning He was
both human and Divine, but remained sinless. Following His crucifixion, Christ remained in the
tomb for three days. On Easter morning, He was resurrected by God's power and soon afterwards
He ascended back into Heaven.
Herein lies the parallel of the second (i.e., "death") stage of the butterfly and mankind. Mankind
enters life on earth as a mortal, born as the result of a female egg fertilized by a male sperm.
While on earth, he may go through trials and temptations, hardships and heartaches, and often
great happiness, too. Being mortal, however, he ultimately faces death, which may appear to be
his final end. The lowly caterpillar also begins life from a fertile egg. It lives for a brief time,
primarily searching for food and eating ravenously. It then faces its own demise during the
metamorphosis process. But miraculously, death is NOT the "end" for either the caterpillar OR
the Christian!
Stage Three: Rebirth
We see a beautiful analogy between the chrysalis and the Christian in Stage Three -- rebirth.
Although the chrysalis has appeared quite lifeless and dead for several weeks, wondrous things
have been happening inside of it. Through the process of metamorphosis, the former caterpillar
has been totally transformed into a beautiful gossamer-winged butterfly. Finally, the chrysalis
splits open, the gorgeous butterfly emerges, pumps up its wings, and is soon flying free! It has
truly been resurrected and now has a brand new body!
Like the beautiful butterfly's release from its dark chrysalis stage into freedom, so the Christian
can also look forward to his resurrection, his freedom from earth's trials, and eternal life. His
mortal life on earth will be forever changed to immortality!
As you celebrate Easter, watch for a beautiful butterfly or two to celebrate new life with you!
And as the legend says:
"Here's my wish to you, ere this verse is through, If he ever chances to stay at your sleeve,
Remember, my friend, don't fight him. But learn all you can from the butterfly clan And you too,
may become a rare item!"
HAPPY EASTER TO ONE AND ALL! MAY THIS SPECIAL DAY BE BLESSED WITH
PEACE, JOY, LOVE, AND GREAT FELLOWSHIP WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS!
Using the butterfly crafts, tell the kids the story of Easter, or a story about spring. Have them take
the butterfly out of the chrysalis to demonstrate resurrection and new life. If there is room and
time let them hold up the sticks and wave them to make their creations "fly."
Read more: How to Make Easter Crafts for Kids | eHow.com
http://www.ehow.com/how_2047524_make-easter-crafts-kids.html#ixzz1pfahEdqB
MIRACLES: Discussion points for kids
Use any part of this Caterpillar MIRACLE information you find useful and feel free to
change the language for your age group.
1. It is hard to explain the miracles Jesus did. It is hard to understand God's
miracles.
2. That's part of it being a miracle - NOT being able to explain it in any ordinary
way! (If it was easy to explain it wouldn't be a miracle!)
3. God shows us something of a miracle every summer.
4. God made the caterpillar, who crawls along branches nibbling on leaves. 5. God
has the caterpillar make a cocoon - a cozy place to sleep and change in. It's like a
warm blanket or sleeping bag! Some people imagine that is what it is like when our
bodies die.
6. Inside the Cocoon, God does the miracle and changes the caterpillar into a
beautiful butterfly.
7. God promises us we will live again in a new way too after we die.
Easter Icons
Easter eggs & baby chicks- Eggs and chicks symbolize new life. Eggs have been a symbol of
spring since ancient times. An egg also is a symbol of the rock tomb out of which Christ emerged
when he arose again. The chick, hatching out of the egg, symbolizes new life or re-birth.
Easter bunny - The rabbit, or hare, was a symbol of abundant new life in ancient times, and
reminds us of spring and new life.
Easter Lilies- The white blossoms symbolize the purity of Jesus. Lilies, emerging from the earth
in the spring, also symbolize new life and the resurrection of Christ. All About Easter Lilies.
The lamb - Represents Jesus, "the Lamb of God".
The cross - Symbolizes Jesus' victory over death.
Palm branches- Represents when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday and people
waved palm branches, welcoming him.
Easter hats & wearing new clothes for Easter- Symbolizes new life offered through the death and
resurrection of Jesus.
Hot Cross Buns- Hot cross buns have a cross of icing on the top to remind people of Christ.
Candles - Symbolize Jesus, "the light of the world".
Pretzels - A food eaten during Lent- the twisted shaped symbolizes arms crossed in prayer.
Easter & Spring flowers- Daffodils and tulips bloom in the spring, and symbolize spring and new
life.
Baby animals- Baby animals born in the spring also represent spring and new life.
The Butterfly is one of the significant symbols of Easter. Its whole life cycle is meant to
symbolize the life of Jesus Christ. The first stage, is the caterpillar, which stands for His life on
Earth. Second phase begins from the cocoon stage, portraying the crucifixion and burial of Jesus.
The third and final stage is the butterfly, representing His raising from the dead in a glorified
body and peace.
Flowers
Easter flowers like lilies, daffodils, narcissus and tulips are all spring flowers and
symbolize purity. Lilies hold a special place as they are considered the most sacred
of all spring flowers.
Easter Eggs
Eggs have always been important Easter symbols for many reasons. They have
been symbols of spring for a long time owing to the fact that they symbolize new
life and re-birth. Also, eggs are said to be the symbols of the rock tomb from which
Jesus was resurrected. In olden days, Christians were forbidden from eating eggs
during Lent and Easter hence, was considered a day of egg delicacies.
First Step - A Simple Calla Framework
Recognize these three shapes? Sure you do... go ahead and draw them similar to how I've done
on the left. Begin with an upside down triangle, and follow it up with an oval and a rectangle.
It's the triangle that help in maintaining the funnel-like shape of your calla. The oval and
rectangle are in place to map out the transition from the flower/petal area to the stem.
Something you may want to keep in mind before you continue on... I marked this lesson as
'Intermediate' for a good reason. I leave things up to you as to how you go about drawing the
curved lines that compose your flower...
I think that in doing this, you'll be more satisfied with the outcome as there are different angles
that the calla can be viewed from, and interestingly... the curvature of the lines will change
accordingly when viewed from each one.
Second Step - Draw Four Well-Placed Curved Lines
OK, time for those lines. It's important that you take your time at this stage of the lesson. Use my
lines to guide you along, but feel free to change the curvature, length and relative position of
each line. Aim for your own unique look here!
Here's how to draw the petals...
Beginning at the upper-right corner of the triangle, draw a curved line running right to left.
Initially, it should dip down. Then, after it connects with the upper-left corner of the triangle,
have it swerve up and to the left -- away from the triangle.
For the second line, continue at the point where you left off the first one. Use the triangle to
guide you as you draw a long, curved, 'swooping' line down and around towards and to the
base of your calla lily. Hands down - this is the hardest line to draw so again... take your time!
With the first two lines in place, the second two are much simpler to draw because you get to use
your framework to guide you. Draw two additional curved lines to complete the funnel-shaped
petals of your calla lily, just as I've done above.
Well, things are definitely looking good! Let's wrap it up now with a few finishing touches...
Final Step - Finishing Touches
Bringing the calla lily into view while at first may seem difficult,
becomes a lot easier once you A - get rid of the underlying
framework, and B - add its 'trademark' details.
The first detail to note would be a second curved line that runs
alongside and above the first line that you drew in Step Two. It
creates the illusion that the petal is curving around - and down toward
you.
Next, draw the pistil in the center, followed by two more curved lines
to further illustrate (in a simple cartoonish way) that the petals
curving up and away from the center.
Aside from satisfying the urge to color your calla, there's still room left for one last little detail the skinny spike-like extension that grows off the end of the funnel-like petals. Draw it at the
very tip so that it looks natural and goes with the flow of the first two lines that you drew, that
meet at this point.
And yes - now you're finished! A beautiful South African Calla Lily drawn solely by you... Very
nice! :-)
Creating these paper lilies doesn't require a green thumb -- just the outline of a hand.
Materials
Pencil
White card stock
Scissors
Green card stock
Hole punch
Green plastic straw
Tape
Yellow pipe cleaner
Instructions
1.
Have your child trace his hand onto a piece of white card
stock (regular paper works too but isn't as durable) and cut out the shape. Cut two
double leaves from green card stock and punch holes in the centers where the
leaves meet, as shown.
2. Curl the paper fingers and leaves by wrapping them around a pencil.
3. Wrap the hand around the top of a green plastic straw and secure it with tape.
Slide the leaves onto the straw and tape them in place. For the flower's stamen,
fold half of a yellow pipe cleaner in half and curl down the ends. Insert the folded
end in the straw.
This birds nest crafts makes use of simple craft cupboard supplies like paper plates and tissue
paper to produce a fun craft for kids, suitable for spring or summer. Add some little eggs to turn
this into an Easter craft, too...
You will need:
Small paper plate
Brown paint
Thin brown paper - tissue, greaseproof or packing paper will all work, and you could include
some lengths of brown wool (yarn) too.
Brightly coloured craft foam
Large pompoms
Wiggle eyes
Scraps of yellow card or foam
Glue
Instructions:
Paint the plate brown and leave to dry.
Rip the paper into pieces and scrunch up so them form fairly large balls. Glue these around the
rim of the plate.
To make the birds, cut two teardrop wings from craft foam and stick either side of a pompom.
Add a yellow triangle for the beak and two wiggle eyes.
Glue the birds to the middle of the plate.
