In one of those many ironies of history, it came as news to me that the first recorded use of the greeting ‘Merry Christmas’ was from Bishop John Fisher to Thomas Cromwell. Of course, the irony is that Fisher had been imprisoned by Cromwell, the ruthless bully-boy henchman of Henry VIII, for denying the King’s claim to ‘supreme authority’ over the church in England, both temporal and spiritual, as well as denying Henry’s right to marry Anne Boleyn while still married to his lawful wife Catherine.
Fisher, ever English gentleman, would not stoop to their level, and simply requested some ‘food and clothing’, closing off the simple request from the capricious Cromwell, with the traditional Christmas greeting. Fisher would be beheaded the following year, June 22, 1535, just a couple of weeks before his friend and fellow martyr, Thomas More. They rejoice together in heaven, while we leave Cromwell and Henry to the judgement of God, and we may hope the prayers of their victims, now saints in heaven, helped them see the Truth before the end. It worked for Saul and his own killing of Saint Stephen. And so we hope for everyone.
