Happy Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II

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Ray woke me up at 5:30 a.m. yesterday morning to see if I wanted to watch the Trooping of the Colours, the first event of the special 4-day celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. Of course, I did! I watched as British soldiers in their colorful and fascinating uniforms and horses in their beautiful livery marched on the Horse Guards Parade. The Horse Guards Parade is the ceremonial parade ground in St. James’ Park about .6 miles from Buckingham Palace. I sat there so long watching my computer that I didn’t have time to blow dry my hair before we headed out to headquarters. See, I had to wear it curly!

On February 6 of this year, Queen Elizabeth became the first British king or queen to serve the United Kingdom for 70 years. She also serves the 54 nations of the Commonwealth of Nations, which includes 2.5 billion people. That is one-third of the population of the world.

I had already gone about my day when the Queen made an appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Trooping of the Colours. I later saw a photo of Queen Elizabeth II, her grandson Prince William, his wife, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis as they watched 70 old and new military aircraft fly over the palace. At one point fighter jets flew in the shape of the number 70.

I love Queen Elizabeth. After 96 years of good health, she has been struggling this year with mobility and with not feeling well. Even with her struggles, the queen continues her commitment to public service. Since 1972 the Commonwealth has held an annual service in Westminster Abbey on March 14, which is Commonwealth Day (though the service was suspended in 2021 during COVID restrictions). The service was held in person this past March 14 but the Queen was unable to attend. Her son Prince Charles represented her, but Queen Elizabeth issued her annual Commonwealth Day message. In that message, she repeated a promise she made on her 21st birthday . She said:

In this year of my Platinum Jubilee,
it has given me pleasure to renew the promise I made in 1947,
that my life will always be devoted in service.

The Queen has certainly kept her promise. She was in Africa on a royal visit when her father died, making her Queen. She has continued that service to the present day.

While watching this morning, I came across the the annual Commonwealth service at Westminister Abbey in 2020. It warmed my heart to see clergy, schoolchildren, and people from many nations repeat the Lord’s Prayer in unison and sing all four verses of the hymn “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty.”

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise him, for he is your health and salvation!
Come, all who hear; now to his temple draw near,
join me in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, above all things so wondrously reigning;
sheltering you under his wings, and so gently sustaining!
Have you not seen all that is needful has been
sent by his gracious ordaining?

Praise to the Lord, who will prosper your work and defend you;
surely his goodness and mercy shall daily attend you.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
if with his love he befriends you.

Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him!
All that has life and breath, come now with praises before him.
Let the Amen sound from his people again;
gladly forever adore him.

Sadly the Queen didn’t feel well enough to attend yesterday’s service at St. Paul’s Cathedral. I say with the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth: God Save the Queen.

First of all, then, I urge that requests,
prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving
be made in behalf of all people,
for kings and all who are in authority,
so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life
in all godliness and dignity.
1 Timothy 2:1-2

 

 

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