After the clock change last week, many of us are celebrating the fact that the evenings are lighter.
Spring is always such a time of rising hope: the lengthening days, the flowering bulbs, the increasing tree blossom, lambs in the fields, birdsong increasing and nesting starting to take place. Of course, in the UK we know there is still time for a return of winter weather for a good few weeks yet, but its hard to stop the anticipation of sunnier days and warmer temperatures.
And of course, Easter: the most important celebration in the Christian calendar, thinking about renewal, hope and new life, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. Originally a ‘moving feast,’ in AD325 the Christian church resolved a long-standing debate of when it should be celebrated, by fixing a date to recognise the Spring Equinox (21st March) and agreeing Easter should fall on the 1st full moon after this date, anything from 22nd March to 25th April.
Many of us will be cracking open Easter eggs, maybe not realising that eggs have been a symbol of the Easter celebration for many centuries; traditionally real eggs that had been decorated and saved for the day rather than the chocolate eggs of today.
And whilst many of us may attend sunrise gatherings, take part in Easter services or celebrate good food with family and friends, it can be hard to see how we can bring this hope into a changing and challenging world.
During the COVID Lockdown in 2020, I discovered a book published in 2016; ‘The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World,’ a series of conversations between the 14th Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who were great friends for many years. The conversations were held over 1 week with the author Douglas Abrams.
Both had faced exile, violence and oppression but as one bookseller wrote “they continue to radiate compassion, humour and joy.” Their great friendship came through in their discussions and it was a fascinating and quick read that left its mark long after the final page. Section 2 was on Obstacles to Joy with a Chapter entitled ‘Despair: the world is in such turmoil.’ And there was a little gem, uttered by Desmond Tutu, which seemed to answer that question of how we share hope in a world that can seem overwhelming: “Start where you are and do what you can where you are,” Desmond Tutu.
And so, this Easter, as we celebrate with eggs and food and symbols of hope; maybe hear the original Easter account; enjoy the arrival of spring and all that brings, let’s take our hope and follow those immortal words of Desmond Tutu doing what we can where we are, recognising that every little action makes a difference.
