Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Brian’s Reflection: Thursday, May 24, 20


Brian’s Reflection: Thursday, May 24, 2012


The important thing is not what they think of me …
but what I think of them.

Queen Victoria of Great Britain, Empress of India;
she was born on this date, 1819.
[ Queen of GB & Ireland 1837-1901 & Empress of India 1876-1901 ]



[ the statue was done by her daughter, Princess Louise ]



 I have no idea to which “they” Her Imperial Majesty was referring! But I suspect it was a “blanket” kind of thing. She had no power, really, but a lot of influence … and a profound sense of “imperiousness”! But of course, she went into a profound funk after Prince Albert died (and she and he had had 9 children by then).

I am a devout monarchist … of the constitutional type. I like (a) that the “head of State” not be a partisan politician, and (b) that there be a sense of elegance and style when it comes to what/who represents the State. Victoria, of course, failed in her duty, re. the profound funk after Albert’s death and her refusal to “be among her people”. I firmly think that her present Britannic Majesty Elizabeth II of Great Britain, about the celebrate her Diamond Jubilee as Monarch, has done a superb job of personifying and representing Her country and people.

My special connection with her is that She was crowned on June 2nd, 1953. [ Her father, George VI, had died on Feb 6, 1952. On that day, Elizabeth officially became the Queen.] I was ordained priest on June 2, 1973, twenty years after Her coronation. If I may be permitted a ribald comment, Two Queens celebrating a significant day! And I remember, as a little boy, sitting in the library of my elementary school to watch the Coronation … on an amazing device called a “TV”!

What Her Imperial Majesty said is true of the “God” that Christianity postulates. The most important thing about our concept of “God” is  “what {God]  thinks of us”! It would be very easy to have a very negative comprehension of “what God thinks of us” from the Bible …. but not from the Gospel or from the person of Jesus. God loves us unconditionally. We human beings perceived this, and it lies at the foundation of our “picture” of God.

It doesn’t matter what fluctuating ideas we have about God. God loves us unconditionally. God thinks very highly of us! That’s all that matters.

Brian+

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