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We get lots of advice. We seldom take it.

Today we congratulate the Bishop on having taken some good advice. Bishop Alfred was raised Church of England, has lived Church of England. By a process of osmosis Holy Scripture has therefore seeped into him. Via the daily services of Morning and Evening Prayer. Via the Sunday and Holy Day Eucharist. Via that kind of prayer which is called meditation. Via study at his desk. Via the preparation of sermons.

And somewhere, somehow, sometime, texts like these became part of him. Proverbs 18,26: "Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord". Ecclesiastes 9,9: "Live joyfully with the wife thou lovest all the days of thy life." Proverbs 31,10 and following: "Whoever rinds a virtuous wife trusts in her, for her worth is greater than that of jewels. She looks after her household well. Her children stand up to praise her. Where people gather in public places, they praise her deeds. Her husband also, who says, "Many women have done well, but you have been best of all."

Alfred acted on such advice. Eleanor became the queen of his heart. And in due course, a queen in the hearts of their children, their friends, and their parishioners in several parts of the world. We congratulate the Bishop on taking Eleanor to be the wife and mother in the Woolcock family household. And if I may be African for a moment, we congratulate the Bishop on taking Eleanor to be the mother in his successive parishes: for in Africa a priest's wife is addressed as Mother. We say when we introduce them to newcomers, "We'd like you to meet the Father and Mother of our parish."

Some modern people might say I was insulting Eleanor by describing her as wife and mother. I do not think she herself would have felt insulted. Any more than Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother would feel insulted. Her Majesty may not have been the best educated, the most professional, the most military of women. But when Adolf Hitler was weighing up the problems facing him, he didn't name any professional or university or military women, he named this wife and mother. Adolf Hitler paid the Queen a compliment when he called her, "The most dangerous woman in Europe." In peace and in war she'd stand resolutely by her family. In that station of life in which circumstances placed her, she'd care about the King's people. At the heart of the Commonwealth's war effort were a father, a mother, and their two daughters. Psychologically, the families of the Commonwealth were encouraged in their own hardships.

The greatest Christian of all is of course a woman. Joseph was also advised by Holy Scripture when he took Mary to be the queen of his heart. And in due course Mary became the Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven, the Mother of the Church, the Mother of us all who are part of her dear Son Jesus Christ. I do not think St. Mary would feel insulted to be called wife and mother.

Well done, Father Alfred! Heartiest congratulations from us all. But not only congratulations. Also thank you. We look forward to the second coming of Christ, to another wedding day, to the marriage of the Lamb to His church. As we wait, we thank you and Eleanor for teaching us something of Christ and His bride.

Even so, come Lord Jesus.

+Robert Mercer, CR