This week the last of the cattle were let out leaving the yard looking deserted after all the winter’s activity. The sheep, with their lambs now stronger on their feet, embarked on the trek to the fresh pasture at the top of the farm. The spring flowers, predominately yellow, give a blast of colour along the farm road and overhead the trees unfurl their fresh green leaves. The blackbirds, which on frosty mornings numbered over 20, have deserted us in favour of house building. A few of the finches remain along with the different varieties of tits that kept us company around the bird tables over the last few months. Hopefully some of them will avail of the nest boxes and remain in the garden for another few weeks. The first swallows have made their appearance despite reports of the severe drought conditions they have had to pass through en route from their winter quarters in Africa. All seems so normal – even to the car transporters bringing in new cars, albeit smaller ones, to the local car pound before they are distributed for sale. One could live in denial. The media have got it all wrong. There is no financial tsunami approaching off-shore. Even the accountants who audited Anglo-Irish Bank’s books said this week they couldn’t see a problem although the taxpayers will have to foot the €29.3 billion shortfall. One commentator reckons that civic morality went down the tubes with the passing of the last of the revolutionary generation in the 1960’s. Since then we have had a “socially defective value system” and so it all went horribly wrong. Are there any parallels in the Bible? Everything seemed so normal at the start of the first Easter week. There were crowds in Jerusalem for the Passover and another Messiah to be welcomed. This one named Jesus showed more promise and, hadn’t the donkey ride been prophesied by Zechariah? Was this really the King? Would Herod simple abdicate? As much chance as a disgraced banker handing back his bonus! With the religious and civic authorities at one the young Messiah had no chance. He would meet an untimely end. All that he said about destroying the Temple and in 3 days he would rebuild it – unbelievable! Also this stuff about; “I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” St John chapter 10 verses 17/8. This was the language of a madman – unless, of course, he was the Son of God. His resurrection changes everything.