Those unfamiliar with the story of St. Thomas Becket would be best given the background that in the political climate of 12th century England, King Henry II had delighted to have given St. Thomas Becket much honors and even offered him the Lord Chancellorship just underneath the King. When Becket was elevated to the Archbishop of Canterbury though, he refused this position stating that he must have a duty to serve the Church alone. This infuriated Henry II. He grew enraged at Becket. Becket fled to Rome, Henry III was excommunicated. Years later, Becket returned to his See in Canterbury where the King demanded to be reconciled to the Church without any act of penitence. Becket refused once again. The King ordered the assassination of Becket. Henry II was reconciled to the Church after finally allowing himself to be whipped by the monks of Canterbury over his role in the murder of the Archbishop.
In the dramatic first part, we see the proper relationship between Church and State under attack as the Four Tempters come upon Becket. They all say a variety of different things to swoon Becket over to pursuing the Lord Chancellorship or even into tempting himself with the prideful thoughts of the earthly glory that a Saint could possibly have. This leads to one of the most relevant themes in today's world regarding the role of Church and State.
First Tempter
Your Lordship won't despise an old friend out of favor?
Old Tom, gay Tom, Becket of London,
Your Lordship won't forget that evening on the river
When the King, and you and I were all friends together?
The first temptation is that of earthly goods and friends. We seek friendship with God alone. From God all our other friendships must flow from. When a friendship is ungodly, it must be ended for such friendships lead one away from God. The first temptation continues to persist in stating these venial glories are what we should seek. The glory of man is such of importance that we must cling to it above all other things. Do not scorn your fellow man. Especially when your friend is the King of England! The first temptation is the most venial and easily dismissed of all the temptations that pursue not only Becket but all of us.
Second Tempter
To set down the great, protect the poor,
Beneath the throne of God can man do more?
Disarm the ruffian, strengthen the laws,
Rule for the good of the better cause,
Dispensing justice make all even,
Is thrive on earth, and perhaps in heaven.
The second temptation tries to deceive us into pursuing the thought that the more material good we do, the better we are. This is more applicable to the State but also to each of us individually. The State is under the constant impression that in leveling the playing field, pursuing equity, it will be able to eliminate poverty. Instead, the State seems to create poverty under this foolish delusion because Christ is either never a part of its goals or the goal is too materialistic. It's justice is never God's. The second tempter has brought us the heresy of liberation theology and the prosperity Gospel. We are tricked into thinking the more we are after Heaven, the richer we will become materially. That is a lie. Liberation theology and prosperity Gospel are fundamentally the same doctrines but worded differently. Note that the second temptation has stated of the dispensing of justice that it is "thrive on earth, and perhaps in heaven". It is not even guaranteed to thrive in heaven! How then can it actually thrive on earth? If we are not genuinely focused on the justice of Christ, we create the worship of material justice.
Third Tempter
Which has turned its eyes in your direction -
To gain from you, your Lordship asks.
For us, the Church favour would be an advantage,
Blessing of Pope powerful protection
In the fight for liberty. You, my Lord,
In being with us, would fight a good stroke
At once for England, and for Rome,
Ending tyrannous jurisdiction
Of king's court over bishop's court,
Of king's court over baron's court.
Revenge is the third temptation. Whatever wrong had occurred between the King and the Archbishop, St. Thomas Becket recognizes that the barons are exerting an effort to lead him into treason and revenge against his King. He recognizes these people are liars to begin with and should not be trusted but these revenge-seekers come to us in daily form. The State has done immense damage to many people in pursuing its false goals of equity but nevertheless, it receives prayer, the acknowledgment that its institution comes from God, and the respect that it is our ruling class. In areas that have been hostile to our faith, it is not that the State is to be obeyed when it orders us not to celebrate our faith but rather that its punishments must be fully taken on the cheek when we continue to do so any way. Revenge is God's. It is not our political goal to achieve this.
The Fourth Tempter
Saint and Martyr rule from the tomb.
Think, Thomas, think of enemies dismayed,
Creeping in penance, frightened of a shade;
Think of pilgrims standing in line
Before the glittering jewelled shrine,
Frome generation to generation
Bending the knee in supplication,
Think of the miracles, by God's grace,
And think of your enemies, in another place.
The fourth temptation is the most crafty. It denigrates saintly martyrdom to yet another earthly political goal. It tries to lead Becket to seek martyrdom actively for the purpose of ruling over the King's conscience from the tomb. It seeks to abuse the final telos of man and distort the reality of God we must ultimately pursue. Becket couldn't put it in any better terms about the fourth temptation speaking of it as the greatest treason. It is an act of treason indeed against God for it says to God that as a martyr, I shall crush my enemies. But that is no martyrdom. That is a Satanic distortion of dying for a cause. Martyrs are those who die while praying for the redemption of their enemies.
Becket's Response
The last temptation is the greatest treason.
To do the right deed for the wrong reason.
And indeed, when pursuing any goal, when done for the wrong reason, it always results in chaos. Whether it is the State pursuing its own justice programs or a man seeking glory from his own man, or a man seeking revenge to be justified and save his life, or even a man seeking martyrdom to be glorified. If it is divorced from Heaven it leads to chaos, it leads to brokenness, it leads to torment. We have seen the State this past year doing this to many businesses. We have seen how this occurs among the Marxists affiliated with the Black Lives Matter orgnization. T.S. Eliot no doubt saw it occur in his own time with the Nazi, Fascist, and Communist movements of 20th century Europe. When we pursue things for the wrong reasons, we ultimately create unnecessary strife between ourselves and our friends and our family. The battle runs deep through the heart. It is Becket at an individual level who experiences this battle. But we all face it. We have the ability to say yes to grace or no to grace. We have the ability to take the Devil's temptation, the Tempters' temptations, to pursue our own ends, or to say no, that we will put it in God's hands. The means don't justify the ends and the means are never justified by the ends.
The Church's Response
Unbar the doors! Throw open the doors!
I will not have the house of prayer, the church of Christ,
The sanctuary, turned into a fortress.
The Church shall protect her own, in her own way, not
An oak and stone; stone and oak decay,
Give no stay, but the Church shall endure.
The Church shall be open, even to our enemies. Open the door!
This statement of Becket's made near the end is a reflection on what the Church should be doing to continue to be a beacon of light. We must open the doors for all to come and enter. The Church will protect its own in her own way. For Becket, the threat was four knights after him. For us, it is a tiny virus that might be indiscriminate. But nevertheless, the Church protects its own in her own way. The Church is no mere earthly institution. It is the Body of Christ. If the Body of Christ is shut to any one, then Christ was lying when he said, "come to me all you who labor and thirst". Open the door and the Church shall endure.
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