Bible Reading Lectionary Notes and Prayers Remembrance Sunday Ordinary 32 Year C

In our churches this week we will remember all those who have given their lives for the peace and freedom we enjoy today. We will join with people across the nation to pause to reflect on the sacrifices made by our brave service men and women. We will observe the collective act of two minutes silence as we stand together and reflect on the price of freedom. That price is still being paid. More than 12,000 British Servicemen and women have been killed or injured on active service since 1945.

Opening Verse of Scripture Genesis Chapter 9:15

Collect Prayer for the Day — Before we read we pray

Eternal God, in whose perfect realm no sword is drawn but the sword of justice, and no strength known but the strength of love: guide and inspire all who seek your kingdom, that peoples and nations may find their security in the love which casts out fear; through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

First Bible Reading Micah Chapter 4:1-5

In the last days the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.
Every man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the LORD Almighty has spoken. All the nations may walk in the name of their gods; we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever. (Reader : This is the word of the Lord. All: Thanks be to God)

Second Reading Romans Chapter 8:31- end

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Reader: This is the word of the Lord - All: Thanks be to God)

Gospel Reading 1 Corinthians Chapter 15:50 - end

I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.. (Reader: This is the word of the Lord. All: Thanks be to God

Post Communion Prayer

God of peace, whose Son Jesus Christ proclaimed the kingdom and restored the broken to wholeness of life: look with compassion on the anguish of the world, and by your healing power make whole both people and nations; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

Commentary

Do you remember the thieves on the cross with Jesus and the conversation which took place? One thief challenged Jesus and hurled insults at him, telling him that if he was the Christ he should save himself and them. The other thief recognised that Jesus was an innocent victim and did not deserve this punishment. He showed faith in Jesus when he asked if he would remember him when he came into his kingdom.

In her book ‘Eats, shoots and leaves’ Lynne Truss draws attention to the importance of the comma. She does this by reference to how Cecil Hartley in his 1818 Principles of Punctuality, considered the difference between the following
‘verily I say unto thee, This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise.’
And:
‘verily I say unto thee this day, Thou shalt be with me in Paradise.’

Huge doctrinal differences hang on the placing of this comma. The first version, which is how Protestants interpret the passage (Luke 23:43), lightly skips over the whole unpleasant business of purgatory and takes the thief straight to heaven to meet the Lord. The second promises Paradise at some later date (to be confirmed as it were) and leaves Purgatory nicely in the picture for Catholics who believe in it.

We are all at a loss when talking about life after death, simply because none of us have any first hand experience and those who claim to have visited the other side in ‘near death’ or ‘out of body experiences’ all have remarkably little to tell of any significance considering where they have supposedly been.
So we have to be very careful when making bold statements about what happens to us when we depart this earthly life for pastures new.
However, we can say some things with confidence. Clearly Jesus believed that after death came paradise, the better place. Where the comma should be placed in Jesus reply is ultimately a matter for God to reveal to us, and questions of timing may be irrelevant, since at death we pass beyond the earthly measurements of time. We should concentrate on the fact that Jesus assures us, just as he assured the thief, that those who trust themselves to him will not be disappointed and are secure in his love forever. This is the message of Romans Chapter 8:31, our second reading today, there is nothing which can separate us from the love of God in Jesus. Where human reasoning fails, the love of God assures us that his promises are true.
Without hope our lives are pretty meaningless. Thankfully in his teaching Jesus gave us all something to look forward to. Jesus left the early church with his clear teaching that he had conquered death and it should no longer hold power. He spoke of his kingdom being something which was already present, but he also had a clear vision of a kingdom which was yet to come. Jesus spoke in pictures about a time when there would be feasting and laughter. The time to come would be different, the hungry would be filled and those who had been downtrodden would be freed.

In the passage from Corinthians we read about flesh and blood not inheriting the kingdom and the perishable and the imperishable. It is all very confusing ! Perhaps it is no wonder that the writings of the first Christians were lacking in detail what happens after death. The Gospel accounts show that after his resurrection from the dead, the disciples did not even recognise Jesus. It was only when he said something familiar or did some characteristic thing, that they recognised it was clearly Jesus. However those early disciples believed that Jesus really did triumph over the grave, they had such confidence and conviction that they were willing to die for their beliefs, believing that ultimately death would only open for them the path to life. Charles Royden

Meditation

Christ be with you, Christ before you, Christ behind you,
Christ in us, Christ beneath us, Christ above us,
Christ on your right, Christ on your left,
Christ where we lie, Christ where we sit, Christ where we arise,
Christ in the heart of every one who thinks of you,
Christ in every eye that sees us,
Christ in every ear that hears you.
Salvation is of the Lord, Salvation is of the Christ,
May your salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.
Go in peace to serve the Lord and all you meet.
And the blessing of the Three in One God keep you in eternal life. Amen.

Hymns

Prayers for Sunday and the week ahead

Almighty and eternal God, from whose love in Christ we cannot be parted, either by death or life.
Hear our prayers and thanksgivings for all whom we remember this day; fulfil in them the purpose of thy love; and bring us all, with them, to thine eternal joy; though Christ our Lord.
Amen

Be to us, O Lord, the affection of our hearts, the closest of our companions, our everlasting love, our enduring happiness and the fulfilment of all our desires. Through your Spirit, create in us holy fire and purity of life, that loving you above all things and our neighbours ardently, we may come at last to the glories of your everlasting kingdom; through Christ our Lord. Amen Thomas a Kempis, 1380-1471

O Almighty God, grant we beseech thee, that we, who here do honour to the memory of those who have died in the service of their country and of the crown, may be so inspired by the spirit of their love and fortitude that, forgetting all selfish and unworthy motives, we may live only to thy glory and to the service of mankind through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

God of wisdom and truth, we pray for the leaders of the nations, for wisdom and courage in those who stand firm against terrorism; for patience and persistence in all who work to secure freedom, justice and peace on earth.
God of mercy, we pray for peoples and nations bleeding still from the unhealed wounds of their history. Deliver them from violence and vengeance; nurture in them the ancient wisdom of respect and mutual understanding
God of time and eternity, you travel with us through deep waters yet never abandon us in the storm. We live still in darkened days yet never without your healing light. Renew our confidence, rekindle our hope, deepen our faith, guide us in truth and give us peace in our day.
Merciful Father of all, in darkness and in light, in trouble and in joy, in death and in life, help us to trust your love, to serve your purpose and to praise your name for ever.

God of unending mercy, we pray with those who cry: For women and men who are battered in body or spirit, for children who sleep the fitful sleep of grief, for all who are imprisoned by walls or worries, for all who wonder if they can ever live again, for the least, the lost and the last, and for the dead.
Christ, have mercy on those who cry;
Christ have mercy on us when we turn away from the cries of others.
Give us the strength of compassion, that we may never shield our eyes and hearts from pain, but seek to heal and bless.
Bless us with courage and arm us with hope, that we may lessen the suffering of our world.
Hear this our common prayer and those of our hearts which we offer now. (Paul Sheppy)

A prayer for those who mourn O God our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble, we seek your comfort and your blessing for those who mourn the death of those they love, for all whose lives are torn apart by violence, for all the suffering people of the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord

A prayer for the leaders of the nations
O God our heavenly father, whose love sets no boundaries and whose strength is in service; grant to the leaders of the nations wisdom courage and insight at this time of darkness and fear. Give to all who exercise authority a determination to defend the principles of freedom, love and tolerance strength to protect and safeguard the innocent and clarity of vision to guide the world into the paths of justice and peace.
This we ask through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

Additional Resources

Meditation: Poppies

On this day in 1918, at 11.00am - the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month - the First World War came to an end. Much of the war had been fought in dug-out trenches across Belgium and France. It is thought that about 9 million soldiers lost their lives, and about 27 million were wounded - many of them permanently disabled. At 11.00am, the fighting stopped everywhere, six hours after the Armistice was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne, northern France. Two years later the body of an unknown British soldier from one of the battlefields was laid in a coffin and brought over to England. On this day in 1920 the coffin of the unknown soldier was taken in procession to Westminster Abbey, past thousands of people lining the streets. During the service, the coffin was laid to rest with some soil from France in the floor of the central aisle of Westminster Abbey. The tomb commemorates all British casualties, especially those who have no known grave, and all who suffered during that war and since. Lying there amongst the tombs of kings and queens and many famous people, this “Tomb of the Unknown Warrior” bears the inscription, “Beneath this stone rests the body of a British warrior, unknown by name or rank, brought from France to be among the most illustrious of the land.” During that service, the hymn “Lead Kindly Light” was sung,. During the First World War, the soldiers in their dug-outs could see red poppies growing in the fields of Flanders, the name for an area that covers parts of Belgium, the Netherlands and France. Each year, the Royal British Legion sells artificial red poppies to raise money for injured soldiers, sailors and airmen who have served their country up to the present day. Some countries mark Remembrance Day on the 11th of November itself, and others on the nearest Sunday. At 11.00am, many people remain silent for two minutes.

Prayers for Sunday and the week ahead

On this Remembrance Sunday, we remember past wars: those who fought in them; those who lived through them; and those who died in them. Amen
We pray for the victims of past wars, remembering before you, loving God, those who died in battle, or from the consequences of injury or disease, and for those who mourned or still mourn them. We remember those permanently maimed or disabled, and those psychologically scarred or disturbed. We pray for an end to the suffering of war. Amen
We pray for the victims of current conflicts, remembering before you, loving God, children trained to hate or fight, families turned into homeless refugees, and lands laid waste and made barren. We remember those blinded or crippled and those driven insane by nightmare experiences. We pray for an end to the destructive hatred of war. Amen
We pray for the peace of the world remembering before you, loving God, areas where there is armed conflict and all those who are working for peace. We remember that you have called s to strive together for the coming of Your kingdom of love and peace. We pray that you will equip us for the task with the faith that knows that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Amen. [From Companion to the Revised Common Lectionary, Intercessions, Christine Odell]
God grant to the living, grace; to the departed, rest; to the people of every church and nation, peace and concord; and to us and all the servants of God, life everlasting; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen

To you, Creator of nature and humanity, of truth and beauty, I pray:
Hear my voice, for it is the voice of the victims of all wars and violence among individuals and nations.
Hear my voice, for it is the voice of all children who suffer and will suffer when people put their faith in weapons and war.
Hear my voice, when I beg you to instil into the hearts of all human beings the wisdom of peace, the strength of justice and the joy of fellowship.
Hear my voice, for I speak for the multitudes in every country and every period of history who do not want war and are ready to walk the road of peace.
Hear my voice, and grant insight and strength so that we may always respond to hatred with love, to injustice with total dedication to justice, to need with sharing of self, to war with peace. O God, hear my voice, and grant unto the world your everlasting peace

We thank you Lord, for all those who have died for their nation. Almighty God in whose hand are the living and the dead: we give you thanks for all your servants who have laid down their lives in the service of their country. Grant to them your mercy, and the light of your presence, that the good work you have begun in them may be perfected, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Most gracious God and Father, in whose will is our peace: turn our hearts and the hearts of all people to yourself, that by the power of your spirit, the peace which is founded on righteousness may be established throughout the world. Through Jesus Christ our lord. Amen.

Poem

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow,
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

For the Fallen by Laurence Binyon

IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place, and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918) Canadian Army
Published by Punch 8 December 1915