Monday, December 29, 2008
Church vs. State, Round 1
An initial battle between Church and state is recognized with today's Saint: Thomas Becket. A friend of Henry II of England, the monarch nominated him to be Archbishop of Canterbury. Reluctant because of possible ramifications to their friendship, Thomas eventually aceeded to the Chair and immediately started putting his faith before his friendship, earning the King's ire. An offhand remark by the King a few days post Christmas led to some of his knights barging into the Cathedral to assassinate the Archbishop; who cried out with his dying breath, "Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit!"
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2 comments:
Indeed, the feast day of a very great saint. I have a question, Father. What color vestments would you wear today? I ask because I was expecting to see red today, and I saw white. Thanks.
I wore white, as it called for it in the Ordo, but used the opening presidential prayer from St Thomas Becket; treating the memorial more as a commemoration as saints days in Lent are treated. Not sure if it was entirely correct, but that's what I did.
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