Praying Together 10th November 2024

People sometimes ask me why, since our multinational and multilingual service making the hundred years since the 1918 Armistice, I no longer wear a poppy on Remembrance Sunday. Sadly I don’t recognise any reduction in war and violence after years of wearing one. While respecting the choice of those who still do, I feel that yes, it was right then that we reflected and looked back in gratitude. But perhaps it is time to look forward instead.

Actually, I do wear one, sort of. But rather like the cross on my forehead I was blessed with on my Baptism, it’s only visible through my actions.

I aspire to living my life a witness to my Saviour (admittedly and shamefully, I mostly fail…).  Nowadays, my act of Remembrance is in working for a future for children, grandchildren and generations of every race and nation to come, that they will live in a world of freedom from violence, hatred, injustice and prejudice. Whatever we wear or don’t wear, we must always, in giving thanks and honouring the sacrifice of those who give their lives for others, in turn offer ourselves as the body of Christ in the world, working for God’s Kingdom of peace and looking forward to that Kingdom, come. The safety and freedoms of the world’s children are our living poppies of remembrance

We remember

The Defence Forces

The Ambulance Service

An Garda Síochána

The Fire Service

The Coastguard

The RNLI and its volunteers

The Civil Defence and its volunteers

Nurses, doctors and all those who use their skills of healing both in this nation and across the world

And all those who have given their lives for others

For Johnny

Do not despair
For Johnny-head-in-air;
He sleeps as sound
As Johnny underground.

Fetch out no shroud
For Johnny-in-the-cloud;
And keep your tears
For him in after years.

Better by far
For Johnny-the-bright-star,
To keep your head,
And see his children fed.

John Pudney 1945

We pray the Lord’s prayer, and as the music plays, we may break bread together with the risen Christ and all His people – whoever and wherever in the world they are, we are one in Him who gave His life that we might live. He calls us to follow and to live our lives as His body, in the strength of the Holy Spirit.

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’

Go in peace, to love and praise the Lord and all His creation, giving thanks for the blessings of tomorrow – and the day after, then the day after that, and all your days. In the name of Christ. Amen