Matthew 5:21-26 Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder,’ and ‘whoever murders shall be subject to judgment.’ But I say to you all that if you are angry with a sister or brother, you will be liable to judgment, and if you call a sister or brother an idiot, you will be subject to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be subject to the hell of fire. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and you remember that your sister or brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your sister or brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to favorable terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way with them or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the court officer, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.”
Reflection I have never been particularly interested in the Royals. I have never had a favorite movie star nor been enamored by any politician. The way I figure, those folks give themselves enough adulation, they do not need mine. Still, somehow Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II captures my mind and my heart.
Jew, Baha’i, Jain, Zoroastrian, Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu, Interfaith, Muslim; this procession of religious representatives led clergy of the Churches of the British Commonwealth into Windsor Cathedral for the Funeral of Her Majesty the Queen. The message resounds as ninety-six peals of the Great Bell Big Ben bring England and the world to silence for two heartrending moments. All the people are with their vast array of cultural and faith traditions, personal opinions, preferences and politics, all the people are welcome in this place.
Being a woman of profound faith and having the world’s best liturgists at hand, long before her death Elizabeth meticulously designed the funeral liturgy to walk her family, the Commonwealth and the world through a moment of great transition with our feet marching on firm ground and our hearts grounded in deep faith.
At the ripe young age of twenty-five years Elizabeth received the crown of her station and two essential symbols of the Monarchy, the sceptre and the orb. At the apex of her coronation the Archbishop of Canterbury placed the sceptre in Elizabeth’s left hand as a symbol of her earthly power and authority to govern saying, “Receive the rod of Equity and Mercy. Be so merciful that you be not too remiss; so execute justice that you forget not mercy. Punish the wicked, protect and cherish the just, and lead your people in the way wherein they should go.”
The Archbishop then placed the golden orb, a cross above a globe, in Elizabeths’ right hand instructing, “Receive this orb set under the cross, and remember that the whole world is subject to the Power and Empire of Christ our Redeemer,” a gleaming reminder that Elizabeth’s earthly power and position to govern on earth is subordinate to the power God.
In my mind I see Elizabeth standing on the globe, mercifully exercising her governance with feet firmly planted on the ground. I simultaneously see her sitting at the foot of the cross, humbly finding her authority and direction in the ground of her wholehearted relationship with God. In the grace of God Elizabeth held a vision holy enough to accommodate fifty four member countries, from the impoverished Mozambique to wealthy Singapore. Which begs the question, “How on earth could she possibly do so, and not only do so but at the time of her death evoke world wide mourning and incomparable commendation?”
I believe the answer sparks from the illustrious orb that Elizabeth held literally and metaphorically in her right hand until her coffin became its anchor. For seventy years Elizabeth subordinated her personal preferences, opinions and politics to the authority of God’s power and presence exercised with mercy for the common good. Was she perfect? No. But, morally Elizabeth was unimpeachable.
In the Gospel text according to Matthew we listen as Jesus holds the disciples and us to a high order of moral conduct. Jesus insists it is not enough not to kill our neighbor, not to slander our neighbor, not to incite fear in our neighbor, not even to be angry with our neighbor or call our neighbor a fool. Do not even think about it! Judgment is the purview of God and God alone. Mercy is the means of commerce on earth.The rod of earthly authority is held with mercy. Elizabeth heard and heeded this counsel. Calm, dignified and unswerving in her faith, Elizabeth reigned with equanimity.
I believe every single one of us would do well to hold in our right hand the luminous globe with the cross above it, and take to heart the Archbishop’s words: “Receive this orb set under the cross, and remember that the whole world is subject to the Power and Empire of Christ our Redeemer.” Elizabeth never lost sight of her place, sitting at the foot of the cross with her feet firmly planted on earth, exercising earthly rule empowered by her humble relationship with God.
Following an extraordinary forty-five hundred person military procession from Westminster Cathedral to St. George’s Chapel, the symbols of Elizabeth’s power are removed from her coffin and placed on the high altar, the site of their source and sustenance. When the Choir of St. George’s Chapel put wind in the words of the great Anglican poet John Donne’s poetry, there was no question. All power is the purview of the One, Holy God.
“Bring us, O Lord God, at our last awakening into the house and gate of heaven, to enter into that gate and dwell in that house, where there shall be no darkness nor dazzling, but one equal light; no noise nor silence, but one equal music; no fears nor hopes, but one equal possession; no ends nor beginnings, but one equal eternity; in the habitation of they glory and dominion, world without end.”
Elizabeth’s was an uncomplicated and profound faith which gave her the courage to face the incomprehensible call on her life, executing justice with mercy for the 2.4 billion people of the Commonwealth and stunning the world. Dear people of God, it is time for us to receive the orb beneath the cross and remember that all of our earthly power and position is subordinate to the power of God.
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