‘Gwyn eu byd y tangnefeddwyr: oherwydd cânt hwy eu galw’n feibion Duw’

‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God’ (Mt 5:9)

For over one hundred years people in this country have gathered on the Sunday closest to Armistice Day to give thanks to Almighty God for all who have served and died, and also for the peace in which we currently live. We give thanks for those who continue to serve and protect us, and we give thanks for the work of the Royal British Legion, who have raised money to support service personnel for over one hundred years. We wish them continued success in their important work.

As we recall the sacrifice made by people from the villages in which we live, from this country, and from all over the world, our remembrance must be an active one which has an effect on our lives. We remember the generosity of those who gave their lives to ensure that we can live free from warfare and suffering. Such generosity must leave a mark on our lives, and help us to learn from the mistakes of the past, and endeavour not to repeat them in the future.

The concept of peace is not simply the absence of war, but the right ordering of the world around us. It means living the way God wants us to live. That means living in harmony, and love, one with another. That is why Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, calls peacemakers are children of God. To live in peace is the will of God. Our Creator wants humanity to flourish.

Human nature leads people to long for wealth and power, and some are willing to stop at nothing to acquire these things. Christ, however, shows us another way — the way of love and gentleness, which longs to heal and reconcile. This is what Christ proclaimed on earth, and continues to do — Jesus’ loving example allows us to experience the peace of the Kingdom of God, where wounds are healed and divisions reconciled. Humanity, it seems, while desiring peace, constantly finds itself drawn into warfare of one sort or another. Usually wars are fought for political ends, with the cost being borne by ordinary men, women and children. 

Both in Ukraine and the Middle East we see the misery and cost of conflict. We continue to pray for the people of Israel and Gaza and Ukraine. We pray for all victims of warfare: the dead, the injured, and refugees, and we pray for peace and justice to reign throughout the world. 

So is there a way out of this endless cycle? In short, Yes. The alternative is in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the Cross, who gave Himself and suffered for our sins and the sins of all humanity: past, present and future. The slaughter of millions of people which characterised the wars of the last century is an act of brutality which nails Jesus to the cross. And yet He goes to His death gladly, for love of us. It is this act of total self-giving which shows us what true love is, and how we too need to fashion our lives after this pattern of love.

Our reflections on war and peace take place within the context of a Eucharist. On the night before He died, Our Lord and Saviour commanded His disciples to do this in memory of Him, and we have done so on a hundred thousand successive Sundays. To remember His Death and Resurrection, and to be fed with His Body and Blood, so that we might be transformed into His likeness, transformed by that act of self-giving love. 

We must always remember that Jesus’ loving self-giving is done to reconcile humanity with God. While we are conscious of our failings and shortcomings and our need for God, we must always remember that we are a people who are forgiven, who are loved by God in a way which has the power to transform our lives. Our lives can be transformed when, and if, we learn to love not only our friends and family, but also our enemies. Only then can swords be beaten into ploughshares and spears into pruning-hooks. Only then can the peace for which people fought, struggled and died become a reality in our world.

As individuals, as a community, and as a nation, we are thankful for those who sacrificed themselves for us, and we honour their memory by treasuring the peace won at so great a cost. Christians are serious about peace, because it is the will of God, and the means of human flourishing. Each of us are thankful that we are alive today and able to give thanks for those who gave their lives for us. As part of our thankful response we are called to commit ourselves to being peacemakers in our own lives, in our community, and in our world. What greater tribute could there be to the fallen than for us to work for a world where all may live in peace and security. By doing this we honour their memory and share the treasure they have given us through their selflessness. We should be selfless and generous, following their example and the example of the Generous God, who loved us so much that He gave His Son to die for us.

In this time of serious wars and conflicts around our planet we pray for all those caught up in events beyond their control. In our Church and chapel communities we pray for peace and for the love of God to fill the world, making God’s love a reality here and now. In doing so, we give sincere thanks the sacrifice of our forebears. 

We will remember them.