Lest We Forget - Armistice Day 2012

Readings:

Hebrew Scripture:      Ruth 3:1-5,4:13-17    

Psalm:                         Ps 127 

Epistle:                        Hebrews  9:24-28

Gospel:                        Mark12: 38-44

What I want to say:

We need to remember Remembrance Day, remember the courage and sacrifice of those who fought and those who left behind

We need to remember that war is brutal and senseless

We need to remember that our real hope is in Christ and the way of Christ, a way that seeks justice and peace for all.

What I want to happen:

In 2 minute silence remember wastefulness and stupidity of war, especially WW1.

The Sermon 

     1.     Introduction:

Today Armistice Day or Remembrance Day –

Wonder as we gather this morning, what is it we are remembering?

            On own think

            Responses

Cambridge military parade

            stunned and sick

why?

isn’t it a good day?

where I am coming from

Comments coloured:

      After WW1 family no involvement in war – profoundly grateful;

      attitude shaped by colleague who had been a merchant seaman in WWII and felt church let those returned servicemen down

      not understood what he was talking about until I read birdsong, watched movie/TV programmes like Saving Private Ryan, and Band of Brothers and The Pacific

WW1 – not have happened

            poorly run

            men used “cannon fodder”

             pew sheet says

-         massive loss life and casualties

-         not begin name how badly affected those who survived were by it all

o   something book birdsong explores

-         ironic that  this great war that was supposed to end all wars gave birth century wars

-         directly led WW2, which laid foundation conflicts –Korea, Malaya, Vietnam, Cold War (acted out all sorts conflicts around world)

-         laid foundations – on-going conflict middle east, which in turn given rise war terror

-         this we remember today

o   millions who died in WW1 and all subsequent wars and conflicts

o   millions injured, many permanently disabled

o   millions came home psychologically scared

o   people who left at home, forced live life without loved ones, or with changed loved ones when came home

o   millions lives torn apart as war descended on them

in face of that seems absolutely inappropriate to have a parade military on this day.

choose any other day

but not this day. 

      2.     Mark

light of that want to make brief comments about Mark

            after lasts weeks polite conversation we are back to business as usual

Jesus and scribes at each

what is his objection?

in some ways could say attitude was little unjustified

our identity is usually established by being able to say which group of people we belong to and where we fit with that group of people

saw this going on with disciples in central section

already seen all societies based on these questions

scribes, like all of us defend a system that clearly said who is in and who is out

system scribes reinforced very clear about who was in and who was out

system that gave them some best places

as we heard today – treated with respect in marketplaces and best seats in synagogue

real trouble was that applied same system of being in and out to God

system (like most systems ) said people like us are in

and those who are not like us are out

and excluded people – from participating and benefitting from their society.

applying this to God excluded these people from God’s love and concern.

compare that to image God Jesus offered life and teaching

elicit answers

hospitable

not exclude anyone

caring, loving all

the problem was both that they excluded people from their society

and that they excluded people from God’s embrace

       3.     Scribes and the widows mite

so in light of that lets read this week’s story

often read these two stories apart,

in fact not read first half very much at all

two stories all part of one

observation of the Widow reinforces everything Jesus has just been talking about.

            what has he been talking about

            beware scribes who ponce about

            who devour widows houses

to be a widow was to be condemned to life abject poverty

greek used where sits isn’t just about place, can also read as placing himself in opposition to what is going on there

to an economic system that impoverishes people like widow

story not just about generosity and devotion widow

story highlights how system created and supported by scribes and Pharisees not only excludes people

exploits them,

impoverishes them

Treats “other” as less than human

less than as God sees them

creates unjust and dehumanising society.

society where violence seen reasonable

Such a society can and often does, without much effort, take up arms to enforce their identity, their rightness, their place in the world

Often in name of the God.

in this story Jesus simply says that such societies and such violence are not God’s way

God’s way is the way of hospitality, generosity, embrace of all.

         4.     Brings us back to today:

Hunch – those who have gone to war, who we remember today, while many did go to be heroes, glorified, which sometimes we tend to remember them as

            which is what I fear the Cambridge parade is really about

once got there and immersed mindlessness of it all

they and their mates could survived

in their efforts to make sense of it all

hoped that what they did help create a world where others would not have to go and fight wars

hoped building  a better society, a better world

this morning reading are about that world

            world less defined by who is in and who is out

            world all participate and benefit societies live in

            just world build God’s generosity and hospitality to each other.

So this Armistice day invite us remember

·        Brutality and far too often senselessness of war

·        Profound price that has been and continues to be paid by those sent to fight in wars, and by those left behind

·        As followers of Christ, our hope is not in armed might (no matter what some politician might say) but in God’s peace and justice, God’s hospitality

·        Truly honour memory of those who have fallen, as followers of Christ, we must continue to work with God to find just ways to bring peace to conflicts, and to bring about Gods reign of justice and peace create world war unnecessary

   finish with 2 minutes silence

God most holy,

we give you thanks for those who laid down their lives in war;

we pray for courage and self-sacrifice like theirs,

so that evil may always be resisted and peace maintained; 

we your people solemnly remember the wars we have endured; the killing, the grief and the courage. 

For the evil that was done we ask your pardon;

for what was great and honourable we give you the glory. 

Lord God, we pray simply for peace on earth. 

If in war we brought peace closer, strengthen our hope;

if we shared our food with others keep us generous;

if we dream of a better world, hear our prayer;

Amen