Remembrance Sunday is one of those occasions when God and the church becomes visibly important to people as they gather for Remembrance services in churches and chapels up and down the land. St Mellons Parish was no exception as Civic representatives and others gathered for a family eucharist at 10.55. I suspect that the majority of people at that service - like me - had never lifted a finger in military anger. Although it must be said that recent conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and the threat of terrorism in our streets have made things a bit more immediate now. So how do we make Remembrance Sunday relevant? Well let me give you some clues from a simple parish priest: 

The act of remembering things past, even if we weren't there, is well known to religious people.

The Jews "remember" Passover as if they were back there being delivered from Egypt

Christians "remember" the institution of the eucharist as if we were there - we call it anamnesis, calling to mind.

Service people remember the horror of warfare and the wonderful friendships and acts of heroism. They do not usually want to go to war.

Service people are often used in relief from suffering as well as warfare and peace keeping.

One last question - I wonder what would have happened if the defeated nations had been treated a little more honourably in 1919 at the Treaty of Versailles?