Revelation and Royalty

Revelation and Royalty


I have noticed that Americans like the royal family!


The royal wedding seems to occupy a lot of time and energy.


Do you know I just signed away my allegiance to the queen – it almost happened in such a rush I didn’t notice.


The queens birthday today – and Maundy Thursday – Maundy Money – John Hicks who was here last week was with her outside Westminster Abbey
Maundy – Mandatum – a new commandment – I mandate you love one another.
Prologue – as in Anthony and Cleopatra Act 1 scene 1 – to easter – all the themes are here – Jesus the example of service, and the betrayal and suffering that is to come is foreshadowed.
The queen mother – now that Buckingham palace has been bombed I can look the east end in the face.
God – suffering – service
A story that contains a great deal of meaning – but what effect does it have?
Well – we serve and we may suffer – but we are instructed to love as a new model of commandment – and worry less about being in control of our fates – we are asked to respond not to simple instructions of what to do – but to follow the whole example of Christ – and in these three days we have that example presented to us.
Revelation by Robert Frost
We make ourselves a place apart
Behind light words that tease and flout,
But oh, the agitated heart
Till someone find us really out.
'Tis pity if the case require
(Or so we say) that in the end
We speak the literal to inspire
The understanding of a friend.
But so with all, from babes that play
At hide-and-seek to God afar,
So all who hide too well away
Must speak and tell us where they are.


God reveals himself not in an instruction book – but in a person who lives, and cries, and tries to serve – and is the focus of divine grace and makes it available to us.
This is no scientific formula where if you add service plus suffering you get redemption – but it does work – the mystery of faith is that God speaks to us in these services, and gives us himself. We are then asked to take that gift – in sacramental form, incorporate it into our own sense of self and finally make an offering to others in service and suffering – and love.
Ordinary things are offered up on the Altar – I have been speaking of royalty – but let us not fool ourselves, the trappings of earthly authority – whether it is the President here in the bay this week, or the queen are very much surface matters – when we go deeper we see that true loyalty, true allegiance is not to be offered to a man with a seal or a woman with a crown – but a savior with a bowl who bends and washes our feet.
Amen.