As the
cheering went on in the streets, one jubilant crescendo rising upon another, the
choir inside the Abbey took up a ten century-old anthem, the “Confortaré” of King Edgar’s day of
enthronement.
“Be strong and of good courage,” they
sang.
“Keep the commandments of the Lord and walk in His ways.”
Those who
have been with us from the beginning in this Cor Unum experience will remember
that the first words spoken by the new arrival in a Carmelite monastery are . .
. “Passio Christi, conforta me! . . . Passion of Christ, comfort me!”
Elizabeth
would need it. She would be faced
within days with the a most heavy, difficult, knotty problem, one that would
not end well for her sister, Margaret, although it ended best, thanks to
Elizabeth’s wisdom and patience.
The crowned
Queen has much in common with those Carmelite Sisters who are crowned as well,
on the day of the Profession of their Final Vows. Usually the crown is a garland of flowers,
but that diadem means at least as much to them as Elizabeth’s did to her. She was preparing to reign as Monarch,
servant to a nation, wedded to a People.
They hope to reign in life as servants of God, betrothed to Jesus
Christ, and servants to those whom He loves.
If ever she
had been her own woman before, that life had come to an end for Elizabeth, but
she willingly gave herself to the Recognition and the Anointing and the Investiture
and the Crowning . . . not so very far removed from a monastic choice, is
it? Not at all far removed from our
lives, rightly lived, here in Cor Unum, for we are “bought with a price, and we
are not our own." (1 Corinthians 6:19 and 20)
Crowned, and Given
No comments:
Post a Comment
Your comments and corrections are welcome in Cor Unum Abbey . . .