Weekly Thoughts

FATHER MICHAEL’S DIARY

8 NOVEMBER 2024

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

The other day I was asked an interesting question: what will happen to Remembrance Sunday when there is no one left who can remember either World War? That time is not far off; I am now firmly part of the older generation but I can only just remember the end of WWII, VE Day and VJ Day, 80 years ago next summer. I can also remember being evacuated and being in an air raid shelter, but again only just and in the final year of the war.

Sadly of course there have been all too many wars since for people to remember but none of them involved the whole country and every community in the way WWI and WWII did. WWI was the first mechanized war, the first to see tanks and aircraft involved. The long years of stalemate in the trenches and the horrendous casualties imprinted themselves on the national conscience. As a result the jubilation people felt at the ending of hostilities soon gave way to darker feelings of regret and bereavement. There had to be response and this came to take the form of remembrance. In a protestant country as Britain was at the time praying for the dead, perhaps the most natural response, was of course out of the question. But some response was needed: if you could not pray for dead you could at least remember them.

But perhaps remembrance is not the most helpful response: it focuses on dead as being dead and so concentrates on feelings of loss and bereavement. This is marked by the two most prominent symbols we have of remembrance: the Cenotaph and the tomb of the unknown warrior in Westminster Abbey. Cenotaph means empty tomb and unknown soldier represents the millions who died in the two world wars. It was envisaged that widows and orphans could visit the Abbey and imagine they were visiting the grave of husband, father or brother they would never see again. Also remembrance tends to turn those who have lost their lives into heroes and that in turn leads to a regrettable emphasis on militarism and patriotism.

By contrast the Christian teaching of Resurrection entails that those who die continue some form of unique identifiable existence, they are alive for ever. So it is right that we should continue to pray for them as we did when they were with us. This is perhaps a more positive way of dealing with bereavement and grief. As to that question, what will happen when there is no one left who can remember either world war? I’ve no doubt Remembrance Sunday will continue, it is so deeply engrained in our national psyche, but I hope it will be transformed into something which addresses the needs of the day rather than evoking an increasingly distant past.

READINGS AND PRAYERS

10 NOVEMBER – THIRD SUNDAY BEFORE ADVENT (Remembrance Sunday) – Mark 1.14-20 – the call of Simon and Andrew – all who died or still suffer as a result of war

11 NOVEMBER – Martin, Bishop of Tours, c.397 1 Thessalonians 5.1-11 – encourage one another – all religious communities

12 NOVEMBER – Tuesday – Titus 2.18, 11-14 – we await the blessed manifestation of Jesus Christ – that we may live expectant lives

13 NOVEMBER – Charles Simeon, Priest, Evangelical Divine, 1836 – Luke 8.4-8 – the parable of the sower – all who preach the word of God

14 NOVEMBER – Thursday - Philemon 7-20 -  charge that to my account – the probation service and all who work with discharged prisoners

15 NOVEMBER – Friday – Luke 17.26-end – when the day of the Son of Man is revealed – for the gift of penitence

16 NOVEMBER – Margaret, Queen of Scotland, Philanthropist, Reformer of the Church, 1093 – 1 Corinthians 12.13 -13.3 – I will show you a more excellent way – for the gift of love for all humankind