St Paul's Cathedral - 07/04/02

Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother's own family motto is this - "In thou, my God, I place my trust without change to the end." That trust has carried Queen Elizabeth through a very long life to her death between Good Friday and Easter Day, the day of the Resurrection.

She accompanied us through the turbulent twentieth century, through two world wars, through huge changes in the way we live. By sharing in all these experiences, Queen Elizabeth has been christened, not by court protocol, but by the peoples of these islands and the peoples of the Commonwealth as our Queen Mother.

She has helped us feel that being a citizen of this country and the wider Commonwealth is like being a member of a family whose common interest and memories endure beneath and beyond all debates and conflicts. Truly the words spoken by the first Elizabeth can be applied to the Queen Mother. "Though God has raised me high yet this I count the glory of my crown that I have reigned with your loves."

The spectacle of such a life properly evokes loyalty. Not the calculating loyalty of the plastic loyalty card at the supermarket but an enriching love. The world seems a colder place without her and it is natural that we should feel a sense of loss. Our sadness helps us to guess at the depth of the bereavement felt by the Queen, Prince Charles and the other members of the royal family. Our hearts and prayers go out to them.

Mingled with the sadness, however, is hope and even joy. Queen Elizabeth lived her earthly life with great zest. Hers was a resounding "yes" to life. The Times in 1925 remarked of her that "she lays a foundation stone as if she had just discovered a new and delightful way of spending an afternoon."

The freshness never deserted her. We have had a century to appreciate a person who never surrendered to the terrible disease of world-weary cynicism. It was characteristic of her to say of her own 100th. birthday, "I was so glad I was there. I was afraid I would let everybody down."

Changing fashion may overtake some artfully created public image but the life that has turned into celebration and compassion is in touch with what is eternal and is always fresh.

All fall short of the glory of God but we were created to live reflecting him. As Jesus said "this is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him, may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day." If we live and love like the human face of God, Jesus Christ, then God will give us His likeness and create a bond which will never be broken. St Paul said, "I am convinced that there is nothing in life or death which shall ever separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ Our Lord". May she rest in peace and rise in glory!