Remembrance

by Rev. Sharon Blain, November 2016 

November is dominated by the symbol of a red poppy. The poppy is a symbol of remembrance, as the visual image which holds together a jumble of memories of those who served in, or survived 2 World Wars, and sadly, many other wars since.

We remember them as people, and we honour the dead, but we do not honour war. We honour those who remain, we honour them because their memories are so powerful and significant.

On this Remembrance Sunday, remember for good all those who have blessed us, those who have died for our safety.

For all of us, without exception, Remembrance Sunday should be a day of sober reflection. A day of deep gratitude that there were those in the past, and today, who were prepared to lay down their lives for others; innumerable people who lived their lives before we were given a chance to live ours.

Many of them lie in war graves, in standard rows, like troops on parade, some have no cross to mark where they rest, but are names on memorials and cenotaphs. Nevertheless, in these ways we remember those who fought and died in order that we can live in freedom and value it.

But are we, as a society and as individuals, using properly the freedom won for us by those who suffered and died?

We shall be saddened but perhaps not surprised by what we find. The men and women we remember were victims of hatred and greed. They were not necessarily hated by those who pulled the trigger or thrust the bayonet or dropped the bombs that killed them. Rather they were victims of institutionalised hatred, engineered by diabolical ideologies throughout the world, whose adherents regard their enemies as sub-human and treat them accordingly.

Hatred still resides in the human heart! Certainly those who remain, having fought or lost loved ones, may well ask, ‘Was it worth it?’ And that is a question which Jesus could have asked as he died for us in winning our liberty from sin and death.

Jesus’ offering of himself for us was a pure gift, and that is how the offering of the lives we remember on Remembrance Day, has to be seen too. It is a gift to live our lives in freedom, but not to misuse it.

It is difficult to speak in the same breath of the death of Jesus on the Cross and the fallen of wars. It is difficult to look at the cross of Jesus surrounded by battle scenes, as we find in some stained glass windows of our churches and cathedrals, but we recognise this fact. The sacrifice of fellow human beings for the love of others, brings sharply into focus the love of Jesus in dying for us. And both events share one significant factor – the value of sacrifice is to be found in those who remain to live, in you and me, and in how we live our lives for others.

It is important to remember. Henry Nouwen wrote, ‘Those who are not aware of the past cannot celebrate the present.’ So we wear our poppies.

Poppies are for remembrance. They are a reminder that as wars continue, we have not learnt lessons. They are a symbol of how we remember others and what they have done for us.

They are a reminder of the cost of freedom to be used in serving others.

The most powerful and beautiful is to be found in the Holy Land – at its heart is a cross, the symbol of loving service.

Let us all remember.
Sharon