Easter’s glorious message of the Resurrection of Christ and the Rebirth of the World, coincided this year with the Jewish celebration of their liberation from Egypt celebrated in the Passover which looks forward to plenty in the Promised Land ‘flowing with milk and honey.’ Yet behind both celebrations lie terrible suffering, catharsis – the Crucifixion, and the bondage of the Jewish people. Even the recent Spring Equinox is a combination of hope for better things to come, and a memory of a hard winter passed.
On 1st April, by chance, we also celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the foundation (in Upavon, Wiltshire) of the RAF. The magnificent service in the RAF Church, St Clement Dane, and in commemorations up and down the land, remembered the sacrifices in so many wars in which the RAF have played a decisive part, not least here in Wiltshire. We remembered our dead and their ultimate sacrifice; yet we also welcomed the way in which the RAF helps defend our nation today.
The world is a more dangerous place than for many years, and we need the sheer power of the RAF to deter aggressors of all sorts. The RAF are active in the Baltic States and Poland at this moment, for example, patrolling the Russian border. And they regularly accompany Russian bombers in UK airspace. Theirs is a magnificent history, and they have a great future to look forward to as well.
The RAF motto, Per Ardua ad Astra - Through adversity to the stars - would have served the early Christians- St Peter crucified upside down for his devotion- and the Jewish people following Moses across the Red Sea, as well as it does the modern RAF. And without diminishing any of those great events, there is much in that motto for all of us. Nothing is easy. Nothing in politics and public life is easy. But its only through effort, through adversity that we can achieve the stars.
So as the weather gets better, as we rejoice in the new-born lambs frolicking in the fields, the sweet little chickens, the trees and hedgerows busting into life with wild flowers; as we look forward to the warmth and softly fecund generosity of the Summer to come; as we do so, it is worth remembering the Wiltshire mud and rain and cold; the hard work of the farmers; the battles we fought to achieve these sunlit uplands.
The Easter Parliamentary Recess may be a time to ponder what we have come through - and none of it is easy - and to look forward to the prizes which will be ours if we perservere. There is so much to do in every aspect of public life, so many wrongs that need righting, so many battles to be fought. We can only achieve a better Britain for all through struggle and adversity.
So be of good cheer. Remember the message of Easter and of Passover, of the Spring Equinox, and of RAF 100. It’s been tough. But there are good times just around the corner.