Matthew 10:28-33

Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint Thomas Becket (1118-1170), archbishop of Canterbury, murdered in his cathedral on 29th December 1170. He was made chancellor of England at the age of 36 by his friend King Henry II. Henry soon insisted upon usurping Church rights. Initially Thomas was wavering to accommodate the king’s wishes and thus momentarily approved the Constitutions of Clarendon, which would have denied the clergy the right of trial by a Church court and prevented them from making direct appeal to Rome. But Thomas eventually rejected the Constitutions and then fled to France for safety. He remained in exile there, eventually returning to England although he knew that  it would probably mean certain death. Because Thomas upon his return refused to remit censures he had placed upon bishops favoured by the king, Henry II cried out in a rage, “Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest!” Four knights, taking his words as his wish, slew Thomas in Canterbury cathedral.

And so Thomas Becket became the patron saint of Roman Catholic diocesan clergy. He shows how none of us can become a saint without struggles, especially with ourselves. Thomas knew he had to stand firm in defence of truth and what he believed in.

Our stained glass window at Chartres Cathedral was installed a mere 45 years after Thomas’ death, showing how his influence had reached Continental Europe as well. The large Saint Thomas Becket window is nearly 9 metres high and features four main circles each depicting episodes from the life of St Thomas. The 800-year-old detail we are looking at depicts Thomas his exile. A man holding a club throws Thomas out of England towards a tree (France). Thomas is shown with a red halo in episcopal vestments with his episcopal mitre and cross.