(RNS) — The outpouring of affection for Queen Elizabeth II has stunned cynics and people who imagine that self-interest and greed make the world go ’spherical. It’s incomprehensible to some that hundreds of thousands of individuals around the globe would care that the 96-year-old head of an anachronistic establishment has handed away.
However folks noticed one thing particular in Elizabeth — greater than the pageantry and splendor of the monarchy, the movie star eye sweet that surrounded her. There was extra to the queen.
A pacesetter who took responsibility and duty significantly, she fulfilled the vow she made on her 21st birthday: “I declare earlier than you all that my complete life whether or not it’s lengthy or brief shall be dedicated to your service. …”
Not all monarchs have put their folks forward of themselves.
Within the Bible’s First E-book of Samuel, when Israel asks God for a king, he warns them:
He’ll take your sons and assign them to his chariots and horses, and they’ll run earlier than his chariot…. He’ll make them do his plowing and harvesting and produce his weapons of warfare and chariotry. He’ll use your daughters as perfumers, cooks, and bakers. He’ll take your finest fields, vineyards, and olive groves, and provides them to his servants. He’ll tithe your crops and grape harvests to provide to his officers and his servants. He’ll take your female and male slaves, in addition to your finest oxen and donkeys, and use them to do his work. He will even tithe your flocks. As for you, you’ll grow to be his slaves.
RELATED: Elizabeth II, longest to rule Britain and Church of England, dies at 96
Too many kings of Israel confirmed God was proper. Like many rulers as we speak, they have been corrupt and incompetent. Even David and Solomon have been flawed. Israel had its personal system of checks and balances, nevertheless: Different nations put all non secular and temporal energy into their kings; Israel correctly had kings to rule, monks to steer worship and prophets to talk God’s phrases of problem to the highly effective.
With all this historical past, it’s not stunning that Jesus was reluctant to just accept the title of king. Relatively he imitated and quoted the prophets. He solely accepted the title of king when he had grow to be a prisoner earlier than Pilate, after which he insisted his kingdom was not of this world. His throne can be the cross.
As a younger man, St. Ignatius Loyola, the founding father of the Jesuits, was enthralled with the tradition and glamour of the Spanish royal court docket within the 16th century. He wished nothing greater than to be a knight devoted to the service of the king and a sure court docket woman with whom he was infatuated.
All this ended when he was hit within the leg by a cannonball throughout a battle at Pamplona in 1521. Throughout his restoration the one studying materials obtainable have been two books: “The lifetime of Christ” and the “Lives of the Saints.” He was impressed by these to show his consideration from the monarchy to Christ.
Later, when he collected his prayers and meditations into the “Religious Workout routines,” he requested readers to meditate on the decision of an earthly king who invitations folks to comply with him in conquering “all of the lands of the infidels,” one thing all European Christians at the moment devotedly desired. This was a heroic king for whom the sooner Ignatius would have gladly devoted his life.
However then he asks the retreatant to meditate on the decision of Christ, “It’s my will to beat the entire world and all my enemies, and thus to enter into the glory of my Father. Due to this fact, whoever needs to hitch me on this enterprise have to be prepared to labor with me, that by following me in struggling, they could comply with me in glory.”
This battle wouldn’t use swords and canons; it might as an alternative comply with within the footsteps of the crucified Christ preaching the Gospel. Relatively than searching for worldly glory by means of pressure and violence, it might search humility and justice by means of self-sacrifice and struggling.
RELATED: Why Queen Elizabeth mattered
Ignatius symbolized this radical change in his life by leaving his sword earlier than a statue of the Black Madonna on the Abbey of Montserrat. For Ignatius, if Christ is king, then Mary, the teenage mom of Jesus, can be queen.
The 16th-century language and piety of Ignatius can sound antiquated, however the response to Elizabeth II reveals that there’s something of the 16th century nonetheless alive in many people. We nonetheless lengthy for a strong chief who reveals humility and a dedication to responsibility and repair. We would like somebody we are able to look as much as and admire. We would like somebody who’s worthy of imitation.
Greater than any human, that particular person is Jesus Christ, priest, prophet and king. Or as Ignatius would say, for those who suppose Queen Elizabeth is nice, check out Jesus and Mary. I believe Elizabeth would agree.
