Farewell to a Queen

 1 The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended; the darkness falls at thy behest;

to thee our morning hymns ascended, thy praise shall sanctify our rest.

2 We thank thee that thy church unsleeping, while earth rolls onward into light,

through all the world her watch is keeping, and rests not now by day or night.

3 As o'er each continent and island the dawn leads on another day,

the voice of prayer is never silent, nor dies the strain of praise away.

4 The sun that bids us rest is waking our brethren 'neath the western sky,

and hour by hour fresh lips are making  thy wondrous doings heard on high.

                      Voices United 438

Well, I didn't see that coming. I'd almost forgotten about the royal funeral for Queen Elizabeth II yesterday but I was up early, as usual, and realized thanks to social media that the service from Westminster Abbey was soon to begin. In the end I watched hours of coverage and saw both the funeral service and committal service in their entirety with a fair amount of slow processing and marching in between.

I would say that the first few minutes of the funeral provided my highlights. The opening with choirs singing "I Am the Resurrection and the Life" was magnificent and brought to mind the hundreds of funeral and memorial services I began with those words from John's gospel, although not set to that sublime music. Some of the choristers were children and I hope they never forget this experience.One of the lads with ginger hair has already gone viral. 

 Then there was the first hymn (above) which is rarely sung in this time when there are no longer evening services. In fact, even though it is in Voices United I have to wonder if it has been sung once in a United Church in 2022. 

The rest of the service had meaningful moments, including the piper near the end. For the most part I found it rather flat with plenty of homage to Elizabeth in her life of service but no spark of her personhood. Even though there was plenty of religion it seemed to be an opportunity to uphold the monarchy, the military, and the Church of England -- strange bedfellows indeed. I suppose this comes with a history of empire and the intertwining of church and state in Britain. 

In the committal service there was recognition of the Queen's simple and yet profound Christian faith which had sustained her through the years. The musical setting of Psalm 121 was meaningful, and a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer was poetic and reassuring. 

I was in awe of the pallbearers who managed to move the 300 kilogram coffin in and out of the hearse, up and down stairs, along aisles, with dignity and grace. As someone who has witnessed many a ragtag group of pallbearers through the years this was an unexpected highlight.

 Oh yes, it was described as a funeral rather than a celebration of life, and instead of casket and funeral coach it was coffin and hearse. These terms have shifted over time, but not in this setting. Question: is it a waste to have a Jaguar hearse, when speed is definitely not required? Just asking. 

O Lord, support us all the day long,
until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes,
and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done.
Then in thy mercy grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last.

There was also this new-to-me prayer from the magnificent John Donne who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. There could be a study group on the thoughts expressed here!

Our Last Awakening

Bring us, O Lord God, at our last awakening into the house and gate of heaven, to enter into that gate and dwell in that house, where there shall be no darkness nor dazzling, but one equal light; no noise nor silence, but one equal music; no fears nor hopes, but one equal possession; no ends nor beginnings, but one equal eternity: in the habitations of thy majesty and glory, world without end. 

Amen.