Jubilee at Church and Lunch

Even the Catholic Church in England is celebrating the Queen's Jubilee! At Mass this Sunday, the first reading was replaced by a reading from chapter three of the first book of Kings:

11 So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for--both riches and honor--so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life."

Also, we had a post-communion prayer for the Queen that was, like the substitute reading, approved by the Bishops' Conference in England and Wales:

V. O Lord, save Elizabeth, our Queen.

R. And hear us on the day we call upon you.

V. O Lord, hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come before you.

V. The Lord be with you.

R. And with your spirit.

Almighty God, we pray, that your servant Elizabeth, our Queen, who, by your providence has received the governance of this realm, may continue to grow in every virtue, that, imbued with your heavenly grace, she may be preserved from all that is harmful and evil and, being blessed with your favour may, with her consort and the royal family, come at last in to your presence, through Christ who is the way, the truth and the life and who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

It was a nice prayer. We ended with a Marian hymn with a queenly theme (I forget which hymn), which was a nice touch, I thought.

Sunday was also the day of the Big Jubilee Lunch, where neighbors have a get together and share an afternoon meal. The weather was (you guessed it) rainy, so I'm not sure how many lunches went off. We went to a friend's home for a playdate and had lunch with them in a semi-English style. We had tea and sandwich triangles and chips and strawberries. It was quite convivial. Our own street didn't have anything going on except for the rainfall.