God Save the Queen!

I have always been fascinated with kings and queens. Perhaps this is because my name, from the Gaelic for "Little King", has given occasion to reflect on my vocation, which is every person's vocation, to be an image of the "Great King", Jesus Christ.

In this country, where we have never had a monarchy and have fought a Revolution against the government of a corrupt monarch, we tend to be suspicious of monarchy. And there is good cause for suspicion. Even as the people of Israel clamored for a king, the Lord warned:

These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots [...] He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. He will take your menservants and maidservants, and the best of your cattle and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. (1 Sam 8:11, 13-17)

This is the Lord's own warning about kings: They will take, and take, and take. Surely there have been bad kings and queens throughout history, perhaps even more bad than good. But then Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, provides the model for true kingship: not to take and take and take, but to give and give and give. "For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mar 10:45).

Something of this divine model of benevolent service was echoed on the occasion of Queen Elizabeth II's succession to the Throne of England. On that occasion, the Queen said, "I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong." Notice that the Queen speaks of her reign as a service, and not merely in the cold terms of law and duty, but of familial affection.

This year, Queen Elizabeth celebrates her Diamond Jubilee, only the second monarch in British history to do so (Queen Victoria was the first). Reflecting upon her 60 year reign, I cannot help but be impressed by such a distinguished service, in an office which is so often susceptible to corruption. And there are few who would disagree--even many an anti-monarchist--that her service has been distinguished by wisdom, strength, and grace. For Elizabeth was never meant to be Queen; her uncle abdicated the Throne, and her father, who succeeded him, died young. At the breathtaking age of 26, she accepted her destiny with dignity and resolve, which has remained unabated in the ensuing 60 years.

Queen Elizabeth II is a model for us all of a life dedicated to service, and so I proudly say,

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!