There’s more going on at Glastonbury Abbey than legends about Joseph of Arimathea. Let’s remember that young man known as Arthur, and his round table of knights, and the wizard Merlin (not to mention the evil witch Morgana). King Arthur is one of the most well known figures of history, although he very likely did not exist in the way that his stories have come down to us. Literary scholars continue to study and debate the existence of Arthur, down to the details of the spelling of his name. This is all fascinating stuff. Well, maybe fascinating to the scholars. But in examining the Arthurian legends through microscopic details, we can often miss the whole point of the stories. Arthur was a great king who saved Britain from invasions both terrestrial and supernatural. His stories are meant to inspire readers to remember the past, love their country and to imitate his example of selfless sacrifice. In some ways, this is not unlike the gospels handed down to us by the Apostles. They call us to remember the past, to love the Church, and to imitate the life of Christ. Let me be clear. I’m not equating the gospels to the legends of Arthur. There is a qualitative difference between the two. But in some ways, their purposes coincide. More on this later.