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A reflection and prayer marking the death of Her Majesty the Queen with the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell.

Good morning.

When two of Jesus’ disciples sought preferential treatment and exalted places in his Kingdom, Jesus rebuked them. He pointed out how the leaders of nations were often tyrants lording it over their people.

From a Christian perspective, the highest calling of any leader is the call to service. And the model of that service is Christ himself.

The world today still has its tyrants. However, even benevolent leaders wouldn’t always be thought of as servants except in a few exceptional cases.

The way we do monarchy in Britain is not like the past – when we did have a few tyrants of our own! –yet when we think back on the years of Her Majesty the Queen’s reign, the word service seems to come naturally to the lips.

Yes, hers was a life of privilege, a life set apart, a life most of us can’t even begin to imagine; yet what seems to have characterised that life were those old fashioned virtues of duty, service, wonderful persistence and faithfulness.

Lord, thank you that for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, it was the call to live her life for something more than herself and in service of something greater than herself, in service of you her God. Thank you that though this way of service is hard, it is also the most rewarding. For Jesus also said, what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, but lose himself.

Amen.

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