Fr. Jeremy’s Topic – June 2016
On the 12th June the people of All Saints Church, Maidenhead along with many other people from across the UK will be gathering at parties to celebrate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 90th Birthday.
In a new book by Mark Greene and Catherine Butcher called ‘The Servant Queen and the King she serves’ written to celebrate the Queen’s birthday the authors focus on the Queen’s constant sense of duty and her devotion to God by relating to the themes of her Christmas broadcasts.
In 1976 the Queen said ‘The gift I would most value next year is that reconciliation should be found wherever it is needed. A reconciliation which would bring peace and security to families and neighbours at present suffering and torn apart.’
The Queen is a devout Christian and is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England but she believes that the Churches’ main duty is to protect the free practice of all faiths in this country.
A text that the Queen refers to frequently is the caring for one’s neighbour and Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan. The Queen reminds us that this story is about our duty to help our neighbour in need whoever they might be.
At All Saints on the 12th June we will be celebrating the Queen’s birthday but also the many people who in their own small ways live out the gospel of the Good Samaritan and stand for the common good of all people to build a better society.
May we all celebrate the Queen’s life and the example she has given us with a true sense of joy.
Jeremy Harris, Parish Priest of All Saints, Boyne Hill