Spiritual Message from Fr Augustinos:
“God Save the Queen”
British National Anthem
God save our gracious Queen!
Long live our noble Queen!
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us:
God save the Queen!
O Lord our God arise,
Scatter her enemies,
And make them fall:
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their Knavish tricks,
On thee our hope we fix:
God save us all.
Thy choicest gifts in store,
On her be pleased to pour.
Long may she reign:
May she defend our laws,
And ever with heart and voice,
God save the Queen.
Why was it that Queen Elizabeth has become the most successful and loved Queen of our modern times?
If we look at the words of the British National Anthem, we see a deep longing prayer for the Queen (or the King; used interchangeably depending on who is the reigning royalty) that is calling on God to save them. The British National Anthem was written in 1745, when the Monarchy was threatened by the enemy. This Anthem has been sung for 277 years, of which Queen Elizabeth has been reigning on her throne for 70 years. It is a powerful prayer of blessing, protection, wisdom, long life, and strength. The blessing, protection, wisdom, long life, and strength is given if one lives in accordance with the Laws of God and God will provide all the successes imaginable. This can be clearly seen in the life of Queen Elizabeth. So many times, this prayer was sung for her, surely God must have blessed her because she has lived a faithful hidden life in Christ. This is evident in her most profound quote when she said, “How I wish that the Lord would come in my lifetime, I should so love to lay my crown at His feet.”
So, what can we learn? We should never underestimate the power of constant prayer as St Paul quotes saying, “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17) even a short prayer like “my Lord Jesus have mercy on me.” Our unceasing prayers can transform people through God’s Grace from all walks of life from Kings, Queens, Nations, Churches, and all people. May we live the life of constant prayer.