Remembrance Sunday falls on, the Sunday nearest the 11th of November, a commemoration of when the guns fell silent, ending the 'war to end all wars'. It is a significant day not only for the church, but nationally too.
It is a fact that in the 39 years between 1914 and 1953, the start of the First World War and the end of the Korean War, 1,271,107 British service lives were lost, this does not include at least 190,000 civilian losses.
Sadly, the total does not stop there, as we have continued to lose lives to conflict ever since, in fact there has been only two years, 1968 and 2016, when no service personnel have been lost on operations.
These massive numbers can be hard to get your head around and can appear very impersonal, but each one represents an individual who was dearly loved by family and friends and, of course, known to God.
I believe there are two reasons why it is important to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Firstly, to acknowledge that sacrifice, selflessly made for freedom's cause and secondly to work to do all we can to promote peace, after all we serve the Prince of Peace.
To this end I pray:,
Remember, Lord, all who have died the death of honour and are departed in the firm hope of resurrection to eternal life, especially the Officers, Men and Women of our Sea, Land and Air Forces, to whom it was given to lay down their lives for the cause of Freedom and justice, grant them peace and rest eternal and guide us into the path of peace. For the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
God bless,
Mark
