A day to remember.
But to remember what?
The origins of Remembrance Day were so that Europe would remember what happened in The Great War.
That was the 1st World War to us now.
So many wars have happened since then.
So many young men have died.
What are we remembering?
I find it all very confusing, especially as I spent years as a Peace protester - an interesting oxymoron!
I forgot again to remember the 2 minutes silence at 11 o'clock as did my young companions. But what could I have told them if I had remembered.
In Bath at 8.45 Monday morning a group of soldiers were putting poppies in the a lovely stone cross on the ground outside the abbey and seemed to be doing the 11th November service which seemed a bit strange.
Now these soldiers they know what they are remembering. I'm sure many have lost comrades.
My son is still talking of joining the army and still keeps going to the selection dates and being deferred for one reason or another but still the journey there continues. I pray that war will be over by the time they let him in but Jesus seemed to promise that there would be wars and rumours of wars till He returned so unless He comes back before the Army or whoever take Ben then the wars will continue.
As I've been writing this I think what I shall remember is Jesus who fought the ultimate war with the evil one for our sakes so that we could be reconciled with God. Jesus took on Himself all those things that cause wars; jealousy, fear, greed, control. And because of Him we can find peace and freedom in this world in our hearts, and in the next totally.
So often too the world does the same to Jesus as they do for the soldiers that have died; they don't understand and so they just ignore it.
Please help me, Lord, to remember those mortal men who died so that I live in a free country, so that we can go an protest like the students did yesterday, but also help me to remember You, dear Jesus, who died for me so that I can be totally free.
I feel confused too about remembrance and what we are remembering. I know that the young men and women who experience such horrors and return to our shores need properly looking after when they get back but there seems to be such a swing away from neglecting them and ignoring what they have done and been through to almost idolising them. When did that happen? What is the proper balance between recognising the people and what they have been through and idolising them?
ReplyDeleteI also thought that remembrance was not just about those that have fallen but a remembrance of war and the horror of it so that we do not tread that path again - well that bit doesn't seem to have worked. Remembrance does not seem to have produced men and women who will use all possible means to avoid war by actually speaking out about injustices which stir up war in people's hearts.
So yes I am glad you spoke of your confusion Diane, I'm confused too.