The story of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury and assassinated in 1170 by King Henry II, seems altogether irrelevant to Christmas. And the fact that the church calendar remembers him today stems simply from him dying on December 29. But when we read the full Christmas narrative in Luke and Matthew’s gospels, there’s something fitting about this man being remembered during Christmas season. Old friend of the king when he was a hell-raising prince (making the casting of Richard Burton and Peter O’Toole as the king and Becket respectively very fitting), he became Archbishop at the king’s wish but, contrary to Henry’s expectations, proved not to be the sycophant he was appointed to be. Instead, he is remembered as one of those church leaders who used their position to “speak truth to power”, and the king had him killed for it. The story reminds us of all the tyrannical kings like Herod who are threatened by the true, humble power of King Jesus and become even more tyrannical in an effort to defeat him and his followers. Henry, King of a Christian England, wanted power on his terms, not God’s. But Jesus’ power has never been defeated by any tyrant’s attempt to stop him. Becket is still remembered this day because he stood for Jesus’ power not the king’s corrupted version. And Jesus’ power still works quietly and certainly through the world and shames tyrants today.
The Consolations of Writing 