DAVID ADAMS, among those watching the Royal Wedding celebrations in London, reflects on what they tell us…
London
A cheer erupted from the crowd in The Mall in London where I was standing when the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, announced via a loudspeaker that Prince William and Kate Middleton were man and wife.
It was a special moment – clearly for the newly named Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, their family and friends, and, yes, for the many thousands of people that lined the route along which they would shortly process, most of whom had certainly never met them.
“Yes, watching the Royal Wedding – whether in London or as one of the estimated two billion watching it on the box – was about witnessing an historic event. But for some it was certainly about much more than that.” |
The reaction of the masses says a lot about our view of happiness and what that means in our lives – how love, marriage, and commitment remain so important for so many, even in this fast-paced, modern world.
It was during later conversations, while waiting later for the newlyweds to appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony, that it became clear how important this wedding was to some. How important it was for people to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
Yes, watching the Royal Wedding – whether in London or as one of the estimated two billion watching it on the box – was about witnessing an historic event. But for some it was certainly about much more than that.
Richard Chartres, the Bishop of London, touched on the need we have for more in his sermon during the wedding service.
“As the reality of God has faded from so many lives in the West, there has been a corresponding inflation of expectations that personal relations alone will supply meaning and happiness in life,” he said, noting that this is “to load our partner with too great a burden” for “we are all incomplete”.
The answer? “(W)e all need the love which is secure, rather than oppressive. We need mutual forgiveness in order to thrive,” the bishop went on to say before adding: “As we move towards our partner in love, following the example of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is quickened within us and can increasingly fill our lives with light.”
May this light fill the lives of Prince William and Kate Middleton. May it fill the lives of all those who were there – whether in the abbey, waving flags on the streets or watching it on television from their homes somewhere in the world – as well.
For the full text of Bishop Richard Chartres’ sermon, follow this link. You can also see it on YouTube here.
