Queen’s example offers hope to the world on Commonwealth Day as Ukraine war demands new approach to peace – John Sentamu
SEVENTY years ago, the young Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, her beloved husband, were in Kenya on a tour of Commonwealth countries.
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Hide AdI was three years old, in neighbouring Uganda, when the BBC World Service broadcast to the world the sad news of the death of King George the VI, and the accession of his daughter.
Before becoming Queen Elizabeth II, Her Majesty had already made the remarkable public declaration that “her whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to our service”.
And so for 70 years, the Queen has modelled her reign on the One who said “Whoever will be great among you, shall be your servant. And whoever desires to be first shall be slave of all. Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:43-45).
That is how Jesus of Nazareth defined his leadership: service, self-denial and sacrifice – dying to effect salvation for all humanity.
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Hide AdThe way up is downward on our knees – the astonishing paradox of service. Remember the King of kings was the servant of servants “Whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be the servant of all” (Mark 10:44).
This is an astonishing bench-mark! It’s counter-cultural in a world which cannot distinguish service from servility and measures power in megatons.
At this very moment, Ukraine risks being pulverised.
It is not the first time that might has demanded to be right.
My prayer for Ukraine – inspired by Psalm 72 – is that the Saviour King, who is a true channel of the heavenly justice, will defend the poor and vulnerable and bring a harmony of nature, health and abundance.
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Hide AdHow blessed we are in our Sovereign. “Keeping herself in the love of God” (Jude 21a), the virtues of the Christian ideals of love of neighbour and compassion have given shape to the Queen’s leadership.
Conforming her life to the example of Jesus Christ; her insight into God, the world, self and others; her wisdom to know that her continual servanthood to the people of the Commonwealth depends on God alone; her companionship and friendship of Christ, in joy and desolation, is at the heart in the growth of her life in Christlikeness.
The Holy Spirit working in her has made service and duty her everyday way of life.
Our Commonwealth needs people whose ideal is service – people who have realised what sound sense Jesus spoke.
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Hide AdHer Majesty is the head of the Commonwealth, a voluntary association of 54 independent countries.
The word – Commonwealth – may be more of a vision than a reality, but it’s still of immeasurable worth.
Not a power bloc, a political or military confederation, but a prototype of countries working together for the common good.
Our nations have a shared chequered history with some scars yet to be healed.
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Hide AdWe are a work in progress with a common service and God nudging us to the future horizon of hope.
Without denying the past, we focus on what could still be – making the remarkable choice to belong together.
Former dependencies are now inter-dependent.
Voluntarily. Commonwealth, let us offer this concept, as gift, to a world crying out for a common ideal.
At the end of the New Testament there’s a wonderful vision of a new Heavenly City filled with God’s Servants, nations with their achievements of culture and civilization, redeemed of all imperfections.
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Hide AdHistory’s faithful leaders are those who caught a glimpse of the world as it could be.
Although they didn’t see it come to fruition in their lifetime, they died full of faith. That is what hope is: to live now as though something glorious yet to be is already true.
To live with such hope is to be a pioneer, working tirelessly to make the vision come true.
Pessimists write this world off as a spent force; others await a divine airlift to carry them safely to another planet called “heaven”. Big mistake. God has not done with us. God’s plan is to transform his creation, not bin it. Resurrection, not extinction.
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Hide AdThe Almighty continues to serve us and invites us to serve him and one another. Inspired by Her Majesty, let us strive to leave the world a better, holier, joyful, friendlier place than it was when we were born. Long Live The Queen. Amen.
Lord Sentamu of Lindisfarne is the former Archbishop of York.
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