Andrew takes a look at mob behaviour and bullying. Why do people engage in the behaviour? Have we learned nothing since the time of Jesus?

During the Crusades, a young English knight, Sir Gilbert, intent on freeing the Holy Land from the grip of the Saracen, journeyed to do battle in Palestine, but no sooner having arrived was captured and held in the castle of a Moor of high rank. The imprisoned Gilbert was destined to languish or be executed. However, the Caliph's daughter, a fair-headed young lady (undoubtedly, the child of a captured European woman), took pity on Gilbert. In secret she arranged the escape of Gilbert, and extracted from him the promise that on his return to his native England and once settled at his home in Cheapside, London, he would summon her to be his wife — and she would come to him from the East, no matter what perils lay between.

Gilbert escaped by hand of his devoted protectress, and returned safely and speedily to England; yet the years passed and no message was received in Palestine. Forgotten, the daughter of the Caliph, took it on herself to travel to England to be reconciled with the man who had so captured her heart, as her father had once captured him. With poor knowledge of the English language, she travelled to London and eventually found her knight, who, on her arrival agreed to marry her. Prior to the wedding taking place, Gilbert took his bride-to-be to St. Paul's Cathedral, and there in the presence of six bishops she was received into the Catholic Church. Soon after, the knight and his bride were married. Their union although not bountiful in number of children, would give the world a single child, a little boy, who they would have baptized, Thomas. Thus even before his birth, the life of Thomas Becket was one prophesied with passion, devotion, transformation and greatness.

Thomas Becket book on sale at Canterbury Cathedral bookstore

Thomas Becket (1115-1170) was to become one of the most venerated of Saints of the Middle Ages. No greater evidence have historians of this fact than the sight of the worn granite steps which lead across the floor of Canterbury Cathedral to the place in which, Becket, as Archbishop of Canterbury was slain on the evening of the 29th of December, 1170 — while celebrating vespers. The English poet, Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400) would pen a masterpiece of the English tongue, The Canterbury Tales, about a group of pilgrims making their way to Becket's shrine in order to seek forgiveness from God for their menagerie of sins. People did and still come in their millions to pray at the blood-stained mark, where the Primate of England had breathed his very last. But why should moderns concern themselves with a man dead for a thousand years, a man whose body has never been found after the ordered desecration of his grave by King Henry VIII (1491-1547)? Does Becket's life or death have any relevance for people who live in lands which had never even known the Christian faith at the time of his slaying.

As a young man Thomas Becket received an excellent education at the University of Paris, some historians claiming that his intellect was harnessed by the master theologian Pierre Abélard (1079-1142). Returning from France, Becket was made Archdeacon of Canterbury, and so distinguished himself in this role that he was commended by Archbishop Theobald (regn 1138-1161) to King Henry II of England (1133-1189, regn 1154-1189) as a favoured candidate for the vacant post of Lord Chancellor. As Lord Chancellor, Becket would become increasingly secular, and being such, won the admiration and friendship of a King only too ready to place a halter over the Church. The depth of the friendship that existed between the two men incurred the jealousy of both the nobles and clerics who perceived Becket to be a most dangerous man, not only because of the power he wielded as Lord Chancellor, but by virtue of the emotional bond between he and the King.

When in 1161 Archbishop Theobald died, Henry II, requiring a replacement more at one with his own design nominated his friend Thomas Becket. Becket, despite his rise through secular ranks was still only an Archdeacon, a position at the very lowest rung on the clerical ladder. Nonetheless, on June 3, 1162, Thomas Becket in a whirlwind series of ordination and consecration was made Archbishop of Canterbury and Head of the Catholic Church of England.

It was now that one of the greatest miracles of the Medieval Church was to take place. Overnight, after his consecration, Thomas Becket had a complete change of spirit — transforming from a child of finance and power, to the protector and shepherd of Christ's Church. From that day forth, Becket secretly wore a hair-shirt, and was often times seen walking the streets of Canterbury, dressed as a humble priest, donating money and food to the poor who slept in the streets.

	Thomas Becket book on sale at Canterbury Cathedral bookstore

The rift between Becket and his king was almost instant. Whereas Henry II had expected a 'patsy' what he had acquired was one of the strongest and surest prelates in the history of the Catholic Church. In danger of being killed, and with both the secular and clerical forces against him, Becket escaped to the safety of France, where under the protection of the French King, Louis VII, (1120-1180) who conveniently could not pin-point Becket's whereabouts for Henry II, Becket resided for eight years. Only the poor and common folk desired for Becket's return. The nobles wished Becket away hoping to break any chance of a future alliance between the two powerful men of England; conversely the 'brother Bishops' were only too happy to see the 'upstart' where he deserved, out of favour and out of the country. On Becket's path, monks kept crossing the English Channel delivering excommunication documents from Becket to those who he charged with offences against the Church and its faithful.

The negotitated peace between Henry II and Becket in 1170, quickly saw Becket return to England and to his Cathedral, as hero to the masses, but an enemy to the powerful. Becket's horrible death in his own Church one month after his return to England, has often been debated as to whether it was endorsed by the King, "Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?", or whether it was a culmination of events and forces, all of which brought about his martyrdom.

So why should Thomas Becket be remembered to this day? Becket stands against despotism, greed, avarice and power-mongering; Becket stands for the marginalised, those without a voice; Becket's life is testament to the ability of a man, no matter how temporal or how fallen to raise himself up, and do great things with God's help. He stands also for the need of the Church to have leaders who are fearless, wise and forthright, and not frightened to risk even their very lives for the Gospel, and not vacuous men with temporal ambition. As such, and because of all these things, Becket is a man for our time and a man for all times. For as T.S. Eliot has a priest remind us of Becket's worth, having just witnessed his death in the final scene of the drama, Murder in the Cathedral: "O father, father, gone from us, lost to us. How shall we find you, from what far place Do you look down on us? You now in Heaven, Who shall now guide us, protect us, direct us?" (Eliot, 1967, p. 219)

IMAGE SOURCES: The headline image of Thomas Becket is taken from an e-greeting card published by www.catholicgreetings.org a service of St Anthony Messenger Press. The illustrator and copyright owner is Julie Lonneman. Click on the other images for the original source.

©2007 Dr Andrew Thomas Kania

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