Remembrance Sunday Reflection by Sue Say
Good Morning.
My name is Sue and I am one of the assistant church wardens in the Team Parish of St Luke in the city.
This mornings gospel reading, Matthew 25, was the story that Jesus told about the ten bridesmaids to explain what the Kingdom of Heaven would be like.
Jewish weddings in the first century were often held at the end of harvest time and were huge gatherings. A celebration, where guests wore their special wedding clothes and enjoyed lots of food, drink, music and dancing.
In the last year, two of my children have got married, so the image of the wedding feast is quite fresh in my mind.
I can truly appreciate the work and planning that is needed.
Traditionally the role of the bridesmaids was to await the Bridegroom and light his procession to the wedding venue, the couples 'new home'.
No-one knew when the Bridegroom would arrive, so they needed to be ready. Jesus points out that five of the bridesmaids were foolish and five were wise. The wise took oil for their lamps, the foolish did not.
Inevitably, the bridegroom was delayed, all the lamps burned down but when they were told the bridegroom was about to arrive only the wise bridesmaids had enough oil left to light the Bridegroom's way. The wise accompanied the bridegroom to the wedding whilst the foolish bridesmaids went in search of a 24 hour Tesco, in the hope of purchasing some oil.
By the time they arrived at the wedding venue, the doors were firmly shut, and it was clear they were not going to be let in.
"Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
The lesson is crystal clear, the parable pointing us to Jesus’ return and I suppose showing us the choices we could make. Be wise and be ready or foolish and miss the boat.
The theme repeating itself, over and over. Be ready, be prepared at all times.
Great! Got that!
But what exactly does being prepared actually look like?
I was a Girl Guide and our motto was 'Be prepared'. I know that period of my youth was responsible for my inability to pack light. To this day, when I go away on holiday, everybody moans at me about how much I have put into my suitcase. Well, they complain right up until they need a plaster, an antihistamine, a sewing kit or a piece of string. I do like to feel prepared.
But here we are being instructed but maybe more importantly, we're being warned. We are being called to act, not react, but act wisely. Our job is to prepare our lives and our world. Live the life that Jesus taught us, be prayerful and kind. Show others and share with others the love and the word of God.
While we are waiting we should not be idle: James 2 :24 “You see that a person is Justified by works and not by faith alone.”
Proverbs 28:19 “Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless Pursuits will have plenty of poverty.”
There are constant references all over the Bible telling us to be fruitful and wise - to be forgiving, watchful and sober.
When preparing for things I always try to remain focused but the first thing I do is look to the past. Just to see if I can find any similar examples, save myself reinventing the wheel. But also to ensure I don't repeat the mistakes of the past.
Today, Remembrance Sunday, gives us a perfect opportunity to really look at the world and refocus our efforts to bring peace and understanding.
LEST WE FORGET
Remembrance Sunday means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Some think it's a complete waste of time and merely creates an atmosphere of nationalism, militarism and signifies an unwillingness to forgive and to forget. Some believe the past is gone and is no longer relevant.
For me, Remembrance Sunday is a day to, yes, remember the sacrifices of those who fought against fascism but also a day to remember the total devastation that war creates. All the horror and the suffering. Soldiers and civilians alike. My granddad was a quiet gentle man. His words echo in my heart, every day. He was a Methodist, who was persuaded to put his bible down, and with God's commandment 'thou shalt not kill', ringing in his ears, he went to join the 'war to end all Wars.'
Watching his sons and daughters march off to war, just 20 years later; in truth, it simply broke him. My granddad had been injured in the first world war, he was shot in the head and they were unable to remove the shrapnel. He suffered from epileptic fits every time the shrapnel shifted. He had been told he had only a few months to live and was given a piece of farmland in Dagenham to see out his days. Grandad married his childhood sweet heart and went on to have 13 children; my mother being his eldest girl. My granddad rarely spoke about the war but he believed that the world should look back and feel ashamed.
I loved my Grandad and hung on his every word.
Sue’s Grandad pictured here n the 1920s
He told me to remember 3 things.
1. That I should hold peace in my heart and the Bible in my hand and never let go.
2. Always look to the past and use wisdom and courage to guide my steps.
3. Love is the only truth.
I decided at the age of eight to carry my granddad's words to the grave.
So today I ask you to join me and remember those who gave their lives and those whose lives were taken. Soldiers, civilians and animals.
All those who have suffered as a result of wars and all those, who are still suffering as a result of wars; including those with depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder and other mental health crisis. The desperate and the displaced.
And I ask that we remember, so we can play our part in stopping the cycle of violence. So we don't keep repeating the same mistakes. We cannot be bystanders, it is our responsibility to create heaven on earth.
1 Peter 4:10 “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
I ask that we remember the truth of war. The 'price' that is paid for war. Because we all know, that that ‘price’ is far too high.
Finally, just take a moment to remember those who have been abused, tortured or killed because of their faith and their belief in Justice. Hold them gently and wrap them in our hope for the future.
Let us pray
Please God, we ask that you grant us the courage to follow the way of love.
We ask that you give us the wisdom to choose the way of peace.
We ask for your help, in preparing ourselves and our world, for your coming.
We ask that you forgive our violent past and inspire us to become the very best that we can be.
Lest we forget
Amen
Topics for discussion
What do you think being prepared for the return of Christ, looks like?
Do you find it challenging to hold on to hope?
Are you ready? Are you prepared?