Sermon for the 11th September 2022, Trinity 13
It’s been an extraordinary privilege over the last few days, to have been able to read comments and tributes, and see historical photographs and footage of Her Late Majesty The Queen. She was an extraordinary woman who apparently expected sermons to last no more than five minutes. So, this isn’t going to be a long one.
It has been lovely to hear accounts of her humour. And we mustn’t forget her acting career, alongside James Bond and more recently Paddington Bear.
Story re Former royal protection officer Richard Griffin – Balmoral Castle.
What I have found encouraging in many of the tributes and reflections is that her Christian faith comes across clearly as being at the heart of her life, throughout her long reign. It has sustained her through times of war and hardship, through seasons of upheaval and change, and through moments grief as well as times of joy and celebration.
She was driven by an unwavering sense of duty, steadfast loyalty and service not only to her country, but also to God.
Was her Christian duty simply that - another duty she had to attend to; a veneer that went no deeper than the service? No! She lived out her faith every day of her life. Her trust in God was foundational in how she lived – hour by hour, day by day. Through her example, we were shown what it means to receive the gift of life we have been given by God and – through patient, humble, selfless service – share it as a gift to others.
Whilst her faith was profound, it was quiet. It certainly wasn’t a shouty sort of faith. She became more open in talking about her personal faith following her millennium Christmas Day reflection. She described, at the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of Christ, how his teachings, “provide a framework in which I tried to lead my life”.
In her 2014 Christmas broadcast she put it this way:
‘For me, the life of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, whose birth we celebrate today, is an inspiration and an anchor in my life. A role-model of reconciliation and forgiveness, he stretched out his hands in love, acceptance and healing. Christ’s example has taught me to seek to respect and value all people of whatever faith or none.’
In an age that is increasingly secular, whilst also fraught by religious conflicts, her approach was winsomely inclusive. She pointed to Jesus and how he expanded her capacity to love people with different beliefs.
This inclusive faith has also defined us, here, as a United Benefice. Open, generous, inquisitive, not fearful of learning from other traditions. But not argumentative or forceful.
This is the approach to living with difference that our world desperately needs today and it is one I hope we will all continue to live out in our community, remembering the late Queen’s remarkable example.
The Late Queen leaves behind a truly extraordinary legacy: one that is found in almost every corner of our national life, as well as the lives of so many nations around the world, and especially in the Commonwealth.
As we give thanks for her life today, let us continue to honour her by following Christ’s example, as she did, and may Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II rest in peace and rise in glory.