EXTRA TIME

Jesus Christ was Her Anchor

September 9, 2022 at 5:25 am Leave a comment

Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York, in The Telegraph:

Queen Elizabeth II made no secret of the fact that the Christian faith and a disciplined life of duty and devotion were the source of her guidance and a constant solace. “For me,” she said, “the life of Jesus Christ, the prince of peace, 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.”

It was Christ’s servant leadership which shaped her sovereignty.

Indeed, right until the end, when she invited the new Prime Minister to form a government, she was doing her duty. She broke into her summer holiday at Balmoral to give an audience, first with Boris Johnson as the outgoing prime minister, and then with Liz Truss, the 15th premier of her reign. We will treasure the photograph published then, which showed her at the age of 96, looking frail but beaming with warmth and kindness.

Queen Elizabeth II wore her faith in her heart, not on her sleeve. It is the best place for faith. From there it can shape everything.

Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury:

As deep as our grief runs, even deeper is our gratitude for Her Late Majesty’s extraordinary dedication to the United Kingdom, her realms and the Commonwealth. 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.

In the darkest days of the Coronavirus pandemic, The Late Queen spoke powerfully of the light that no darkness can overcome. As she had done before, she reminded us of a deep truth about ourselves – we are a people of hope who care for one another. Even as The Late Queen mourned the loss of her beloved husband, Prince Philip, we saw once again evidence of her courage, resilience and instinct for putting the needs of others first – all signs of a deeply rooted Christian faith.

Pope Francis:

I willingly join all who mourn her loss in praying for the late Queen’s eternal rest, and in paying tribute to her life of unstinting service to the good of the Nation and the Commonwealth. I invoke an abundance of divine blessings as a pledge of comfort and strength in the Lord.

Entry filed under: Uncategorized.