Auckland Cathedral - 15th June 2003
PRIDE AND WISDOM
A SERMON ON THE OCCASION OF THE 50th REMEMBRANCE OF THE CORONATION OF HER MAJESTY, QUEEN ELIZABETH THE SECOND.
At the beginning of this June 1 again shared the nation's pride in the achievements of Sir Edmund Hillary - both as joint conquer of the Everest challenge and as the compassionate helper of the Sherpa people. As 1 saw the telecast of his success my memory recalled where 1 first heard the news 50 years ago in June 1953. At 5am on that morning 1 was part of a group of senior school cadet officers travelling in a train from an army barracks in outer London to the centre of that great city. On our arrival we emerged from the station below into the early sunlight to read the bill boards of the first newspapers of the day. The news of Hillary's glorious adventure crowned the day for the new Queen. It was all the talk as we took our prime places on the Victoria monument right opposite the gates of Buckingham Palace. There we were to stand proudly to attention to salute our new Queen.
And what challenges faced the young Queen as she went in splendour in the royal coach to Westminster Abbey for her coronation. The hardships of war had befallen her late father. We had watched King George VI ground down by the effort of keeping downcast spirits alive. Then the hardships of peace showed up in the unemployment queues, in the lives of many who struggled to rebuild their cities from the dust of the bombing, in the drabness of society just emerging from rationing - even clothes had to be purchased with scare coupons., in the young men of the nation still conscripted to serve in the armed forces at eighteen to try to keep the shaky peace. Against this background of hardship the newspapers dared to dream of a new Elizabethan age while the population wondered if there would ever be a bright future again for this fractured nation and commonwealth. With the benefit of hindsight we can see how things turned out, but at the time we just hoped to regain two attributes essential for living: Pride and Wisdom.
The first of these was pride. We longed to be able to hold our heads up high. We wanted to be associated with a righteous cause. We wanted to feel our leaders were worthy of respect. We wanted to make a difference in a world which had experienced the horrors of violence and the degradation of mutual killing. We wanted to be proud of who we were, of our nation, of our commonwealth, of our local community. We wanted heroes to he models of self-value.
As Christians we knew that the Queen was submitting herself to the role of a servant ruler. She was accepting power and homage only on the condition that she used it for service and responsibility - not for self- aggrandizement. Among the trappings of office was an orb but in our minds the symbols of a basin and towel were never far removed. We had seen the power of the dictators destroy other nations and we were looking for something very different to that. As Christians we believed that to be a servant leader you needed 'grace' - God's gifting of that rare mixture of energy and humility. We saw the anointing in the Abbey as the proper way for this to be symbolized. No politician was anointed - only a Christian Queen. This sort of leadership was to transcend politics, for the Queen's role was to protect her people from exploitation; to move them from self-seeking to community building, to honour the humble and to remind the arrogant of their humanity.
Jesus called those who were chosen to lead into a new type of responsibility - to serve those they led so that the best would come forth for the benefit of all. The task was as hazardous an undertaking as Hillary and Tenzing had just braved. We were proud that June day to watch a Queen take up such a challenge. The summit lies before her as it does for each one of us.
For the pathway of that climb is strewn with the cross-roads of decision-making. Each choice is a test: Is this the path for good, or the path that leads to evil ? It is no wonder that Solomon's prayer in 1 Kings has become the classic passage for those holding responsibility. Give Your servant an understanding mind, able to discern between good and evil in the governance of your people.
Our own nation faces the new dilemmas of the new millennium. We try to discern the good and reject the evil in the debates about genetic modification, distribution of health care resources, building a nation through Immigration, protecting the community from drugs, and unblocking the clogged traffic on our roads - just to name a few of the debates. Obviously not only the Queen should pray for wisdom. To resolve such dilemmas we need wise servant leadership at all levels. Then how can such leadership be supported by Christian people and those of good will?
First by renewed pride in our community. We need to dream new dreams of a more effective nation and community. The climate of apathy, the curse of modern society, will soon sink our better efforts, if not our islands. Pride must not be equated with arrogance. Pride is a sign of self-belief rather than of selfishness. Pride also provides inspiration for tackling tough tasks. Pride is catching and gives to others a new sense of worth and value.
Secondly by renewed respect for leadership in our community. We talk too often about the tall poppy syndrome and not enough about the need for respect for those who are attempting servant leadership. Sure we need criticism, but only constructive criticism that tries together to find the best way forward. In the end the country does get the leadership it deserves, because without respect for leaders it is impossible for good people to lead well.
Thirdly - and this is a very Christian insight-we need prayer for our leaders - all the way from the Queen to the Sports captain. Our prayers add our spiritual energy to God's grace. Our prayers remind those we pray for of our support and accountability - for God alone is the source of their special gifts. The anointing of the Queen at the coronation was accompanied by the prayers of the nation for God's grace to guide her search for wisdom in decision making.
So will you this evening rekindle your pride in your Queen, your nation and your community?
Will you offer your respect to our leaders and your constructive criticism to improve our decision making?
Will you be constant in praying for Her Majesty and all those who aim to be servant leaders?
Such is the challenge of Scripture. Such is the role of the wise citizen. Such is the task of the faithful disciple of the model of all servant rulers, even Jesus Christ our Lord.
© Peter Atkins, Bishop