We have become used to hearing some religious fanatics shout the words ‘God is great’ as they wreak death and destruction, and our sense of disgust can easily cause us to overlook the real significance of those words. But in the year 1715, King Louis the Fourteenth of France died after a reign of seventy two years. He had himself called “the Great,” and his court was the most magnificent in Europe. So was his funeral. As his body lay in a golden coffin, orders were given that the cathedral should be dimly lit with only a special candle set above his coffin, to dramatize his greatness. But as the service began, Bishop Massilon snuffed out the candle and said, “Only God is great;” reminding the dignitaries packed into the cathedral, and us too, that eventually, all our worldly pretensions and honours will count for nothing and all we’ll take with us from this life is our faith, hope and love.