Canon Ellis: Service was at the heart of Queen Elizabeth’s life and is a calling for everyone

The new King, Charles III, has shown himself to be a person of deep feeling, commitment to duty and mature judgement.

Furthermore, there has been an unmistakable sense of public goodwill towards him and the Queen Consort, Camilla.

The death of the Queen at the great age of 96 and after over 70 years as Monarch surely impels everyone to think about the deeper things of life.

The passage of time creates history, with all its tragedies and triumphs, as well as its times of settled life and progress, and Queen Elizabeth contributed to the history of Northern Ireland by her steady witness to reconciliation.

It is a journey on which we are all still embarked but surely we have been encouraged even in the days of national mourning to continue to take further steps in terms of mutual respect and appreciation.

Queen Elizabeth always stressed the importance of service. Her service to the nation, giving so much of herself over so many years and in such a truly good spirit sets an example for every citizen to follow.

Indeed, there can surely be no doubt that Elizabeth’s will to serve found inspiration and sustaining strength in her Christian faith which she confidently embraced in a spirit of genuine openness to others.

Just as Jesus Christ declared that he “did not come to be served, but to serve”, so every one of his followers down through the ages, from the greatest to the humblest in the land, has that same calling to service.

It is the service of carrying out our duty to God and neighbour.

We do not always get it right. Sometimes we do not serve God or our neighbours as we should.

Sometimes ill feelings arise, resentment rears its ugly head and alienation comes about.

In such circumstances the outlook for reconciliation can seem very bleak.

Yet it is the Christian faith that we can always start again, that there is forgiveness from God when we recognise our past errors.

A new start is always possible.

If we are to take just one thing from Queen Elizabeth’s life as an example for ourselves, we could hardly choose better that to focus on the theme of service.

What does service mean for each individual? It is surely to care for one another, having the readiness to go the extra mile in meeting one another’s need.

It means being prepared to take the longer view of life rather than to be dragged down by current adversities or indeed past hostilities.

Perhaps the most striking example of service took place in the Upper Room, when Jesus took a basin of water and insisted on washing his disciples’ feet.

The washing of feet in those ancient times after walking in sandals in a hot and dusty land was no doubt always a welcome refreshment.

It was a simple, caring and serving act of kindness.

Service was at the heart of Queen Elizabeth’s life and is a calling for everyone in his or her own circumstances of life.

Of course, if we understand our neighbour as our fellow human beings, no matter how near or how far away they may be, we are clearly met by immense need and in fact may be in great need ourselves.

Yet there are always even small steps that can be taken that exemplify love and kindness towards others and, naturally, when one considers the greatness of human need on our planet any act of service by any of us will inevitably be small in comparison.

Yet small acts of kindness and service are not to be dismissed.

The death of Queen Elizabeth also comes as a stark and solemn reminder of our mortality.

It is a subject that is not frequently discussed, but death is the inevitable reality for every single person.

For those who observe the events and days of Holy Week leading up to Good Friday, the reality of death is driven home as Scripture records the terrible events that led to Calvary and the brutality of the cross itself.

Because death is real, everyone should take time to prepare inwardly for that ultimate fact of life.

The occasion of national mourning, or indeed any time of bereavement, is a particular opportunity to set aside some time of quiet to reflect and to prepare accordingly.

By preparing, we help ourselves, personally, to face whatever the circumstances of our death may be as well as to meet with the eternal, ever-merciful and ever-loving God.

The death of Queen Elizabeth will prompt many memories. Surrounding everyone’s reflection, irrespective of their political or religious views, one trusts will be thanksgiving for a good and exemplary life of faith and national service.

• Canon Ian Ellis is a former editor of The Church of Ireland Gazette