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"Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?"
The Archbishop of Canterbury marks the 850th anniversary of the murder of his predecessor Archbishop Thomas Becket on the altar of Canterbury Cathedral.
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby marks the 850th anniversary of the murder of his predecessor Archbishop Thomas Becket on the altar of Canterbury Cathedral. The 'turbulent priest' was the Archbishop and the infamous quotation is attributed to the King at the time, Henry II. Their utterance by the King encouraged four loyal knights to travel from the Royal court in Normandy to Canterbury Cathedral, and confront Archbishop Thomas Becket, murdering him in the process. No one believed that Henry directly ordered Becket to be killed, but his words started a chain of events that are fused within the collective memory and illustrate the law of unintended consequences such that they are still quoted today. The service is led in Canterbury Cathedral by the Dean Dr Robert Willis. Music Director: David Newsholme. Organist: Adrian Bawtree. Producer: Ben Collingwood.
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CHOIR: ANTHEM: St Thomas honour we (refrain)
THE DEAN: Good morning. On the 29th of December 1170 â on a spot not far from where I am standing now â The Archbishop of Canterbury at the time, Thomas Becket, was murdered by four knights, loyal to his old friend King Henry II.Â
CHOIR: ANTHEM: St Thomas honour we (verse 1)
Less than three years after his death, the Pope declared Thomas a saint, and ever since people have travelled from all over the world to pay homage to him in this holy place. So too did The Knight, The Cook, The Man of Law, The Wife of Bath, and the other fictional pilgrims in Chaucerâs Canterbury Tales.
CHOIR: ANTHEM: St Thomas honour we (verse 2)
As today we mark the 850th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of St Thomas of Canterbury, our service begins with a mediaeval song in honour of the murdered Archbishop, which is preserved in a 15th Century musical manuscript: âSt Thomas honour we, Through whose blood Holy Church is made freeâ.
CHOIR: ANTHEM: St Thomas honour we (verse 3 & refrain)
THE DEAN: Loving God,whose follower Thomas of Canterbury served you in his deathby holding fast to his faith to the end,grant to us some share of his integrity,that we may discern with wisdom,speak with honesty,and live with confidence in the hope of eternal life,through Jesus Christ our Lord. ALL: Amen.
THE DEAN: St Thomas of Canterbury is not the only martyr we remember at this time of year. Tomorrow, Holy Innocents Day, reminds us of the story of the slaughter of infants of Bethlehem, at the orders of an anxious and insecure King Herod, a powerful reminder of the brutality and violence that takes place on a daily basis throughout our world. As we recall all those, young and old, who suffer oppression or violence today through no fault of their own the choir sings the Coventry Carol.  This piece is a sixteenth century English carol taken from a mystery play. It takes the form of a lullaby sung by the mothers as they lull their babies to sleep for the last time.
CHOIR: ANTHEM: The Coventry Carol
THE DEAN: Becket was born in London in 1118, to a family of merchants. After a good education he entered the service of Archbishop Theobald of Canterbury where he proved himself to be an excellent administrator and skilled diplomat. In 1155 King Henry II appointed Becket Lord Chancellor, and for several years the two of them worked closely together and became friends. As a result, the king nominated him to succeed Theobald as Archbishop of Canterbury. While the King and Becket worked on a friendly basis while Thomas was Chancellor, the relationship deteriorated on his appointment as Archbishop. Theobald had wanted the church to have more power, particularly in the secular courts â something that angered Henry. Henry thought that by appointing Becket as Archbishop, he would be able to reign in the power he felt that the church had taken from the crown, and that Thomas would submit to his authority.Â
However, Becket had other ideas â he too insisted on all the privileges of the church that Theobald had wanted. The conflict between Thomas and Henry worsened, and in 1164 â after being found guilty of treason â Beckett fled to France. Several efforts at mediation failed before an apparent reconciliation brought him back here to Canterbury in 1170. King Henry was so angered by his return, that he is thought to have uttered the phrase âwill no one rid me of this turbulent priest?â. Four knights are said to have heard this and, in an effort to please Henry, rode from Normandy to Canterbury, and murdered Becket at the altar of the Cathedral on 29 December 1170.
The drama of the martyrdom of Thomas Becket, murdered so violently in his own Cathedral by four of King Henryâs knights just four days after Christmas has never ceased to fascinate and horrify people. Pilgrims still travel to Canterbury in great numbers, and though other martyrs are found here, it is the story of Thomas which draws them. Perhaps the most famous reflection on that martyrdom is found in T.S. Eliotâs play âMurder in the Cathedralâ which was written for performance here. And as we commemorate martyrs of modern times at other times of the year, we use the words which Eliot gives Thomas in his Christmas sermon, just before his own martyrdom: âThe true martyr is the one who has become the instrument of God, who has lost their will in the will of God, and who no longer desire anything for themselves, not even the glory of martyrdomâ. It is in this spirit of total self-offering that we celebrate Thomasâs victory over death, seen not only in the life of Christ, but also in the triumph of the Churchâs martyrs, as our choir sings the hymn âLet our Choirs new anthems raiseâ.
CHOIR/ORGAN: HYMN: Let our Choirs new anthems raise (St John Damascene)1 Let our choirs new anthems raise,Bright the morn with gladness;When God turned to joy and praiseAll his servantsâ sadness:This the day that won their crown,Opened heaven's wide portal,They, mortality laid downEntered life immortal.
2 Now they stand before the throneClothed in robes of splendour,Death and torment overthrown,Praise to God they render;Praise alike to Christ their KingFrom the lips is sounding,As they adoration bringFor his grace abounding. 3 Let us then due honour pay,As we raise our voices,For the saints in whom todayAll the Church rejoices;Let Godâs people here belowStill recount the story,How they fought against the foeFor the Saviourâs glory.
THE DEAN: Our reading today is taken from the third chapter of St Paulâs letter to the Philippians, and is read by the Archdeacon of Canterbury, the Venerable Jo Kelly-Moore. Here St Paul exults in the value of knowing Christ, a love for which it is worth giving up all other things.
READER 1 (ARCHDEACON): 7 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
THE DEAN: T.S. Eliotâs famous 1935 play âMurder in the Cathedralâ is largely based on the eyewitness account of the martyrdom of Saint Thomas by Edward Grim. Grim was a priest visiting Canterbury who stood close to Becket when he was attacked and almost lost his arm in trying to save him. He wrote an account of the life of Becket very shortly after the murder had taken place. The Cathedralâs Archivist, Cressida Williams, now reads from Grimâs account, from the moment that Becket enters Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December 1170, and is being chased by the four knights who had confronted him earlier, and who would eventually kill him.Â
CHOIR: Gaudeamus omnes (plainsong)
READER 2 (ARCHIVIST): Without delay, the sacrilegious men came into the house of peace and reconciliation with swords drawn, instilling terror in the onlookers by the sight of them, and by the clatter of armour alone. Those who were present were disturbed and shaken â for now those who had been singing vespers had hurried to the deadly spectacle â and in a spirit of fury the knights cried out, âWhere is Thomas Becket, traitor to the king and the kingdom?â When he did not respond they shouted with greater vehemence, âWhere is the archbishop?â To this call unafraid, and as is written, âThe righteous will be brave as a lion without fearâ, he came forward from the steps where he had been carried by the monks in fear of the knights, and in a perfectly clear voice answered, âHere I am, no traitor to the king, but a priest. What do you want from me?â And he who had earlier already said that he did not fear them said âSee, I am ready to suffer in the name of Him who redeemed me with His blood. Far be it that on account of your swords I flee or withdraw from righteousnessâ. âI am prepared to die for my Lord so that in my blood the Church may find liberty and peace, but I forbid you in the name of Almighty God to harm my men, whether clerk or lay, in any wayâ. It was quite fitting that the soldier martyr should follow in the footsteps of his Captain and Saviour, Who when he was being sought by the wicked said, âIf you seek me let these men goâ.
THE DEAN: In a moment we will hear from Justin Welby, Thomas Becketâs successor as Archbishop of Canterbury, with his reflections on the importance of the witness of Thomas, but first the Choir sings that great hymn that reminds us of the sacrifice of Christ in coming into the world and suffering within it in order to bring us salvation, âIt is a thing most wonderfulâ.
CHOIR/ORGAN: HYMN: It is a thing most wonderful (Herongate)1 It is a thing most wonderful,Almost too wonderful to be,That Godâs own Son should come from heaven,And die to save a child like me.
2 And yet I know that it is true:He chose a poor and humble lot,And wept, and toiled, and mourned, and diedFor love of those who loved him not.
3 But even could I see him die,I could but see a little partOf that great love, which, like a fire,Is always burning in his heart. 4 It is most wonderful to knowHis love for me so free and sure;But âtis more wonderful to seeMy love for him so faint and poor.
5 And yet I want to love thee, Lord;O light the flame within my heart,And I will love thee more and more,Until I see thee as thou art.
ARCHBISHOP:In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Martyrdom is a concept that needs rescuing. Martyrs bear witness to the light of Christ at the moments of greatest darkness; when the sword falls, the guns fire, the flames rise, flames of darkness visible that seek the destruction of all witness to the light of Christ.
Martyrs are witnesses, those who testify to what they see. They should have nothing to do with killing others, with crusades or violent campaigns. The martyr is a light, who opens a glimpse of heaven to those who hear only the clamour of death.
In martyrdom time itself is changed: we that see only dark at the end of life are suddenly lit by the martyr's lightning so that we glimpse a long road ahead. A road not for ever stony and hard, but broad, by a stream accompanied by angels of mercy and sustenance. It is the vision we need for times of Covid pestilence and pain, for the season of lockdown and the grief of the empty chair, of the loved person no longer with us. It is the vision that gives resilience, that provides comfort and even joy, relief and hope.Â
At that moment we can all be lifted by the reality of the future â as weary travellers on a rain-beaten, storm swept trek, exhausted and cold, suddenly feel hope rise when the lightning shows that the path is coming to a road, and a light in the distance promises warmth, a hot bath, a drink, good company and rest.
Of course, on the spot not far from here where he was killed 850 years ago, I know the complexity of Thomas. Full of struggle, guilt and fear he swayed between this and that impulse, God alone knew what. Yet in love for the church, the body of Christ, he bore witness.
Of course, standing here we know that the lightning that illuminates is also lightning that burns. The martyrdom of Thomas was a reality of the four murderersâ alcohol-stinking breath, of grunts of effort, of splashing blood and brain, of groans and cries, of all the crudity and intense indignity of violent death.
But while we must let our hearts be moved for him â as for the martyrs of today around the world, unknown, un-canonised, un-pilgrimed â we must not let that be all. What of our own martyrdom, our witness to the light?
The ancient teachers of the church distinguished what they called red and white martyrdom.Â
Red martyrs were so called because they shed their blood in witness to the beauty of following Christ. White martyrs were those whose lives as they were lived testified to their faith. They put aside their personal desires and ambitions and lived as those who are wholeheartedly given to the service of Christ. As a result, they found the abundant life, life in all its fulness that is promised by Jesus in Johnâs Gospel.
Martyrs witness. The very word martyr means witness. To reclaim that meaning is to reclaim the nature of both red and white Christian martyrs. They do not die in killing, or in hating, or in revenge â they live and sometimes they die in order to point away from themselves to Jesus Christ and His love. In both life and death, the only sensible explanation of the love that moves them and drives them to act is the power of the love of God in Christ.
And that changes everything. It puts paid to pointless gestures, to lives thrown away without meaning. It links martyrdom to Jesusâs words in Matthew 16:25 âFor those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find itâ. In both Matthew and John, martyrdom means lives lived in the hands of Jesus; not Christian faith kept in a neat file in our lives labelled âreligionâ, which we bring out only for special occasions.Â
On this day, in this place, the witness of the fallible and normal Thomas Beckett is immortalised in his witness to Christ. Whatever the actual cause of his death at the time, his life and death say that to be a disciple of Jesus demands everything and brings abundant life. Here above all, from this place, the Spirit of God invites each of us to the risk-taking, light-shining, heart-lifting beauty that is true discipleship. We are to witness as those who know the path, trust the way, and anticipate the joy.
In these hard times especially, after a Covid Christmas like no other, the need is for Christians to be martyrs, witnesses to hope, witnesses to the light that darkness cannot overcome. The challenge of Thomas is not to observe just a few martyrs from afar, but to be martyrs ourselves, martyrs reimagined, martyrs who witnesss, and testify, and live and in the normal course of events die as witnesses to the hope that Christ brings, the love that Christ gives, the light for dark times. Amen.
CHOIR: ANTHEM: Justorum animae (Matthew Martin)
DEAN:That was the anthem âJustorum animaeâ â âThe souls of the righteous are in the hands of God, and there no torment will touch themâ â it was set to music by Matthew Martin.
CANON EMMA:Let us pray for the church and for the world and let us thank God for his goodness.
As we remember the life, death and legacy of Thomas of Canterbury, so we pray for all who are persecuted for their faith today and especially for those who die through acts of violence and injustice.
Almighty God, who suffered the death of a criminal, be with those who face violence on account of their faith and beliefs this day. Help us not to turn a blind eye to the injustices of this world but ever seek to bring to light deeds done in darkness and work for the freedom and equality of all people whatever race, faith or belief through the wisdom and mercy of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  ALL: Amen.
We give thanks for the ministry and dedication of our Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and for all who hold the office of archbishop across the Anglican Communion today. We pray that God may bless them in their ministry of leadership, wisdom and compassion.
O Lord, pour out your spirit upon the leaders of the church, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord that they may guide the church in all truth to serve your world with compassion and love, through Jesus Christ our Lord.ALL: Amen.
We continue to pray for those suffering from Covid 19 across the world, for their loved ones and friends. We give thanks for our NHS staff and key workers and for all medical workers as they bring relief and aid, may they have kind hearts and healing hands.
Merciful God, we entrust to your care those who are ill or in pain, knowing that whenever danger threatens your everlasting arms are there to hold them safe. Comfort and heal them and restore them to health and strength through Jesus Christ our Lord. ALL: Amen.
Let us pray together with confidence in the words our Saviour gave us:
ALL:Our Father, who art in heavenHallowed be thy nameThy kingdom comeThy will be done on earth as it is in heavenGive us this day our daily breadAnd forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against usAnd lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evilFor thine is the kingdom the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
THE DEAN: As we come to the end of our service, the choir sings the hymn with which our celebration of the Martydom of Thomas ends every year, âIn our day of thanksgiving one psalm let us offerâ.
CHOIR/ORGAN: HYMN: In our day of thanksgiving (St Catherineâs Court)1 In our day of thanksgiving one psalm let us offerFor the saints who before us have found their reward;When the shadow of death fell upon them, we sorrowed,But now we rejoice that they rest in the Lord.
2 In the morning of life, and at noon, and at even,He called them away from our worship below;But not till his love, at the font and the altar,Had girt them with grace for the way they should go. 3 These stones that have echoed their praises are holy,And dear is the ground where their feet have once trod;Yet here they confessed they were strangers and pilgrims,And still they were seeking the city of God.
4 Sing praise then, for all who here sought and here found Him,Whose journey is ended, whose perils are past:They believed in the Light; and its glory is round them,Where the clouds of earthâs sorrows are lifted at last.
THE DEAN:Â God give you grace to follow Thomas and all his saintsIn faith and love and steadfastnessAnd the blessing of God almighty,The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,Be among you and remain with you always.ALL: Amen
ORGAN: VOLUNTARY:Â Â
THE DEAN: Good morning. On the 29th of December 1170 â on a spot not far from where I am standing now â The Archbishop of Canterbury at the time, Thomas Becket, was murdered by four knights, loyal to his old friend King Henry II.Â
CHOIR: ANTHEM: St Thomas honour we (verse 1)
Less than three years after his death, the Pope declared Thomas a saint, and ever since people have travelled from all over the world to pay homage to him in this holy place. So too did The Knight, The Cook, The Man of Law, The Wife of Bath, and the other fictional pilgrims in Chaucerâs Canterbury Tales.
CHOIR: ANTHEM: St Thomas honour we (verse 2)
As today we mark the 850th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of St Thomas of Canterbury, our service begins with a mediaeval song in honour of the murdered Archbishop, which is preserved in a 15th Century musical manuscript: âSt Thomas honour we, Through whose blood Holy Church is made freeâ.
CHOIR: ANTHEM: St Thomas honour we (verse 3 & refrain)
THE DEAN: Loving God,whose follower Thomas of Canterbury served you in his deathby holding fast to his faith to the end,grant to us some share of his integrity,that we may discern with wisdom,speak with honesty,and live with confidence in the hope of eternal life,through Jesus Christ our Lord. ALL: Amen.
THE DEAN: St Thomas of Canterbury is not the only martyr we remember at this time of year. Tomorrow, Holy Innocents Day, reminds us of the story of the slaughter of infants of Bethlehem, at the orders of an anxious and insecure King Herod, a powerful reminder of the brutality and violence that takes place on a daily basis throughout our world. As we recall all those, young and old, who suffer oppression or violence today through no fault of their own the choir sings the Coventry Carol.  This piece is a sixteenth century English carol taken from a mystery play. It takes the form of a lullaby sung by the mothers as they lull their babies to sleep for the last time.
CHOIR: ANTHEM: The Coventry Carol
THE DEAN: Becket was born in London in 1118, to a family of merchants. After a good education he entered the service of Archbishop Theobald of Canterbury where he proved himself to be an excellent administrator and skilled diplomat. In 1155 King Henry II appointed Becket Lord Chancellor, and for several years the two of them worked closely together and became friends. As a result, the king nominated him to succeed Theobald as Archbishop of Canterbury. While the King and Becket worked on a friendly basis while Thomas was Chancellor, the relationship deteriorated on his appointment as Archbishop. Theobald had wanted the church to have more power, particularly in the secular courts â something that angered Henry. Henry thought that by appointing Becket as Archbishop, he would be able to reign in the power he felt that the church had taken from the crown, and that Thomas would submit to his authority.Â
However, Becket had other ideas â he too insisted on all the privileges of the church that Theobald had wanted. The conflict between Thomas and Henry worsened, and in 1164 â after being found guilty of treason â Beckett fled to France. Several efforts at mediation failed before an apparent reconciliation brought him back here to Canterbury in 1170. King Henry was so angered by his return, that he is thought to have uttered the phrase âwill no one rid me of this turbulent priest?â. Four knights are said to have heard this and, in an effort to please Henry, rode from Normandy to Canterbury, and murdered Becket at the altar of the Cathedral on 29 December 1170.
The drama of the martyrdom of Thomas Becket, murdered so violently in his own Cathedral by four of King Henryâs knights just four days after Christmas has never ceased to fascinate and horrify people. Pilgrims still travel to Canterbury in great numbers, and though other martyrs are found here, it is the story of Thomas which draws them. Perhaps the most famous reflection on that martyrdom is found in T.S. Eliotâs play âMurder in the Cathedralâ which was written for performance here. And as we commemorate martyrs of modern times at other times of the year, we use the words which Eliot gives Thomas in his Christmas sermon, just before his own martyrdom: âThe true martyr is the one who has become the instrument of God, who has lost their will in the will of God, and who no longer desire anything for themselves, not even the glory of martyrdomâ. It is in this spirit of total self-offering that we celebrate Thomasâs victory over death, seen not only in the life of Christ, but also in the triumph of the Churchâs martyrs, as our choir sings the hymn âLet our Choirs new anthems raiseâ.
CHOIR/ORGAN: HYMN: Let our Choirs new anthems raise (St John Damascene)1 Let our choirs new anthems raise,Bright the morn with gladness;When God turned to joy and praiseAll his servantsâ sadness:This the day that won their crown,Opened heaven's wide portal,They, mortality laid downEntered life immortal.
2 Now they stand before the throneClothed in robes of splendour,Death and torment overthrown,Praise to God they render;Praise alike to Christ their KingFrom the lips is sounding,As they adoration bringFor his grace abounding. 3 Let us then due honour pay,As we raise our voices,For the saints in whom todayAll the Church rejoices;Let Godâs people here belowStill recount the story,How they fought against the foeFor the Saviourâs glory.
THE DEAN: Our reading today is taken from the third chapter of St Paulâs letter to the Philippians, and is read by the Archdeacon of Canterbury, the Venerable Jo Kelly-Moore. Here St Paul exults in the value of knowing Christ, a love for which it is worth giving up all other things.
READER 1 (ARCHDEACON): 7 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
THE DEAN: T.S. Eliotâs famous 1935 play âMurder in the Cathedralâ is largely based on the eyewitness account of the martyrdom of Saint Thomas by Edward Grim. Grim was a priest visiting Canterbury who stood close to Becket when he was attacked and almost lost his arm in trying to save him. He wrote an account of the life of Becket very shortly after the murder had taken place. The Cathedralâs Archivist, Cressida Williams, now reads from Grimâs account, from the moment that Becket enters Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December 1170, and is being chased by the four knights who had confronted him earlier, and who would eventually kill him.Â
CHOIR: Gaudeamus omnes (plainsong)
READER 2 (ARCHIVIST): Without delay, the sacrilegious men came into the house of peace and reconciliation with swords drawn, instilling terror in the onlookers by the sight of them, and by the clatter of armour alone. Those who were present were disturbed and shaken â for now those who had been singing vespers had hurried to the deadly spectacle â and in a spirit of fury the knights cried out, âWhere is Thomas Becket, traitor to the king and the kingdom?â When he did not respond they shouted with greater vehemence, âWhere is the archbishop?â To this call unafraid, and as is written, âThe righteous will be brave as a lion without fearâ, he came forward from the steps where he had been carried by the monks in fear of the knights, and in a perfectly clear voice answered, âHere I am, no traitor to the king, but a priest. What do you want from me?â And he who had earlier already said that he did not fear them said âSee, I am ready to suffer in the name of Him who redeemed me with His blood. Far be it that on account of your swords I flee or withdraw from righteousnessâ. âI am prepared to die for my Lord so that in my blood the Church may find liberty and peace, but I forbid you in the name of Almighty God to harm my men, whether clerk or lay, in any wayâ. It was quite fitting that the soldier martyr should follow in the footsteps of his Captain and Saviour, Who when he was being sought by the wicked said, âIf you seek me let these men goâ.
THE DEAN: In a moment we will hear from Justin Welby, Thomas Becketâs successor as Archbishop of Canterbury, with his reflections on the importance of the witness of Thomas, but first the Choir sings that great hymn that reminds us of the sacrifice of Christ in coming into the world and suffering within it in order to bring us salvation, âIt is a thing most wonderfulâ.
CHOIR/ORGAN: HYMN: It is a thing most wonderful (Herongate)1 It is a thing most wonderful,Almost too wonderful to be,That Godâs own Son should come from heaven,And die to save a child like me.
2 And yet I know that it is true:He chose a poor and humble lot,And wept, and toiled, and mourned, and diedFor love of those who loved him not.
3 But even could I see him die,I could but see a little partOf that great love, which, like a fire,Is always burning in his heart. 4 It is most wonderful to knowHis love for me so free and sure;But âtis more wonderful to seeMy love for him so faint and poor.
5 And yet I want to love thee, Lord;O light the flame within my heart,And I will love thee more and more,Until I see thee as thou art.
ARCHBISHOP:In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Martyrdom is a concept that needs rescuing. Martyrs bear witness to the light of Christ at the moments of greatest darkness; when the sword falls, the guns fire, the flames rise, flames of darkness visible that seek the destruction of all witness to the light of Christ.
Martyrs are witnesses, those who testify to what they see. They should have nothing to do with killing others, with crusades or violent campaigns. The martyr is a light, who opens a glimpse of heaven to those who hear only the clamour of death.
In martyrdom time itself is changed: we that see only dark at the end of life are suddenly lit by the martyr's lightning so that we glimpse a long road ahead. A road not for ever stony and hard, but broad, by a stream accompanied by angels of mercy and sustenance. It is the vision we need for times of Covid pestilence and pain, for the season of lockdown and the grief of the empty chair, of the loved person no longer with us. It is the vision that gives resilience, that provides comfort and even joy, relief and hope.Â
At that moment we can all be lifted by the reality of the future â as weary travellers on a rain-beaten, storm swept trek, exhausted and cold, suddenly feel hope rise when the lightning shows that the path is coming to a road, and a light in the distance promises warmth, a hot bath, a drink, good company and rest.
Of course, on the spot not far from here where he was killed 850 years ago, I know the complexity of Thomas. Full of struggle, guilt and fear he swayed between this and that impulse, God alone knew what. Yet in love for the church, the body of Christ, he bore witness.
Of course, standing here we know that the lightning that illuminates is also lightning that burns. The martyrdom of Thomas was a reality of the four murderersâ alcohol-stinking breath, of grunts of effort, of splashing blood and brain, of groans and cries, of all the crudity and intense indignity of violent death.
But while we must let our hearts be moved for him â as for the martyrs of today around the world, unknown, un-canonised, un-pilgrimed â we must not let that be all. What of our own martyrdom, our witness to the light?
The ancient teachers of the church distinguished what they called red and white martyrdom.Â
Red martyrs were so called because they shed their blood in witness to the beauty of following Christ. White martyrs were those whose lives as they were lived testified to their faith. They put aside their personal desires and ambitions and lived as those who are wholeheartedly given to the service of Christ. As a result, they found the abundant life, life in all its fulness that is promised by Jesus in Johnâs Gospel.
Martyrs witness. The very word martyr means witness. To reclaim that meaning is to reclaim the nature of both red and white Christian martyrs. They do not die in killing, or in hating, or in revenge â they live and sometimes they die in order to point away from themselves to Jesus Christ and His love. In both life and death, the only sensible explanation of the love that moves them and drives them to act is the power of the love of God in Christ.
And that changes everything. It puts paid to pointless gestures, to lives thrown away without meaning. It links martyrdom to Jesusâs words in Matthew 16:25 âFor those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find itâ. In both Matthew and John, martyrdom means lives lived in the hands of Jesus; not Christian faith kept in a neat file in our lives labelled âreligionâ, which we bring out only for special occasions.Â
On this day, in this place, the witness of the fallible and normal Thomas Beckett is immortalised in his witness to Christ. Whatever the actual cause of his death at the time, his life and death say that to be a disciple of Jesus demands everything and brings abundant life. Here above all, from this place, the Spirit of God invites each of us to the risk-taking, light-shining, heart-lifting beauty that is true discipleship. We are to witness as those who know the path, trust the way, and anticipate the joy.
In these hard times especially, after a Covid Christmas like no other, the need is for Christians to be martyrs, witnesses to hope, witnesses to the light that darkness cannot overcome. The challenge of Thomas is not to observe just a few martyrs from afar, but to be martyrs ourselves, martyrs reimagined, martyrs who witnesss, and testify, and live and in the normal course of events die as witnesses to the hope that Christ brings, the love that Christ gives, the light for dark times. Amen.
CHOIR: ANTHEM: Justorum animae (Matthew Martin)
DEAN:That was the anthem âJustorum animaeâ â âThe souls of the righteous are in the hands of God, and there no torment will touch themâ â it was set to music by Matthew Martin.
CANON EMMA:Let us pray for the church and for the world and let us thank God for his goodness.
As we remember the life, death and legacy of Thomas of Canterbury, so we pray for all who are persecuted for their faith today and especially for those who die through acts of violence and injustice.
Almighty God, who suffered the death of a criminal, be with those who face violence on account of their faith and beliefs this day. Help us not to turn a blind eye to the injustices of this world but ever seek to bring to light deeds done in darkness and work for the freedom and equality of all people whatever race, faith or belief through the wisdom and mercy of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  ALL: Amen.
We give thanks for the ministry and dedication of our Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and for all who hold the office of archbishop across the Anglican Communion today. We pray that God may bless them in their ministry of leadership, wisdom and compassion.
O Lord, pour out your spirit upon the leaders of the church, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord that they may guide the church in all truth to serve your world with compassion and love, through Jesus Christ our Lord.ALL: Amen.
We continue to pray for those suffering from Covid 19 across the world, for their loved ones and friends. We give thanks for our NHS staff and key workers and for all medical workers as they bring relief and aid, may they have kind hearts and healing hands.
Merciful God, we entrust to your care those who are ill or in pain, knowing that whenever danger threatens your everlasting arms are there to hold them safe. Comfort and heal them and restore them to health and strength through Jesus Christ our Lord. ALL: Amen.
Let us pray together with confidence in the words our Saviour gave us:
ALL:Our Father, who art in heavenHallowed be thy nameThy kingdom comeThy will be done on earth as it is in heavenGive us this day our daily breadAnd forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against usAnd lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evilFor thine is the kingdom the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
THE DEAN: As we come to the end of our service, the choir sings the hymn with which our celebration of the Martydom of Thomas ends every year, âIn our day of thanksgiving one psalm let us offerâ.
CHOIR/ORGAN: HYMN: In our day of thanksgiving (St Catherineâs Court)1 In our day of thanksgiving one psalm let us offerFor the saints who before us have found their reward;When the shadow of death fell upon them, we sorrowed,But now we rejoice that they rest in the Lord.
2 In the morning of life, and at noon, and at even,He called them away from our worship below;But not till his love, at the font and the altar,Had girt them with grace for the way they should go. 3 These stones that have echoed their praises are holy,And dear is the ground where their feet have once trod;Yet here they confessed they were strangers and pilgrims,And still they were seeking the city of God.
4 Sing praise then, for all who here sought and here found Him,Whose journey is ended, whose perils are past:They believed in the Light; and its glory is round them,Where the clouds of earthâs sorrows are lifted at last.
THE DEAN:Â God give you grace to follow Thomas and all his saintsIn faith and love and steadfastnessAnd the blessing of God almighty,The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,Be among you and remain with you always.ALL: Amen
ORGAN: VOLUNTARY:Â Â
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- Sun 27 Dec 2020 08:10±«Óătv Radio 4
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