*One of the great films of saints is about St. Thomas Becket entitled Becket, starring Richard Burton and Peter O’Toole from 1964. The synopsis states: “Debauched King Henry II (Peter O'Toole) installs his longtime court facilitator Thomas Becket (Richard Burton) as the Archbishop of Canterbury, assuming that his old friend will be a compliant and loyal lackey in the King's ongoing battles with the church. But Becket unexpectedly finds his true calling on the ecclesiastical side, and aligns himself against the king's selfish wishes, causing a rift and an eventual showdown not only between the two men, but also the institutions they represent.”
St. Thomas Becket was martyred by his erstwhile friend because Henry wanted his own way with the Church. St. Thomas was murdered while saying Mass at Canterbury Cathedral on December 29, 1170. But what led up to such a falling out? “He quickly began to take his new office very seriously. It is said that he lived an almost ascetic lifestyle, rising early to pray, enduring humilities like washing the feet of the poor, wearing a purposely uncomfortable hair shirt, scourging himself out of indifference to his flesh, studying the scriptures, and surrounding himself with learned churchmen. It was not long before he came into conflict with the king over the rights and authority of the church, as well as the notion of church taxation.” (Encyclopedia.com)
In other words, the worldly Thomas became saintly Thomas. We are all called to holiness. Sometimes that call means a call to metanoia, or conversion. Conversion means changing from what keeps us from God to what draws us to God. That may mean a change of life or a change of practice or a change of philosophy or a change of policy. Nonetheless, God’s call is a radical call that will brook no Henry II.
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