Mothers’ Union Devotion Sunday 14th November 2021 Remembrance Sunday

As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’ Then Jesus asked him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.’ Mark 13. 1-2

Jesus said that the temple, the home of God on Earth, would be destroyed. Hardly the words expected of the ‘Gentle Jesus, meek and mild’ with which we are often presented. But the power and actions of Jesus are not constrained by our picture book images or the words of our children’s Christmas carols. Jesus is out there amongst all the mess of this world. At this time of year, when we remember all those who have lost their lives on the battlefields of conflict after conflict, so often we hear the cry – where was your God in all this evil? Well, Jesus was right there among the mess, among the screams, among the fears, among the broken bodies, the decaying flesh and the unimaginable despair.

Jesus was, and is still today, right there alongside the injured and the dying, the bravery, sacrifice and the incredibly powerful bonding among comrades. Jesus is right there in the hearts and minds of those who seek peaceful resolutions to the horrors of war. Jesus is there with the anguished, bewildered and bereaved family and friends left at home – waiting, wondering and sometimes ultimately devastated. Jesus is there among those gathered on the battlefield as the military chaplains conduct services on makeshift altars. The gathered church family calling on the strength that comes only from our heavenly Father to endure to the end all that life will throw at them.

Today, Jesus is there among those who gather to remember the lost, the fallen. Jesus is there inspiring generations of the Royal British Legion over the past 100 years as they seek to ensure their promise to ‘remember them’ is upheld. Jesus is there among all those who work to support the victims and families of those who continue to suffer in the arena of conflict. And ultimately Jesus is there among all those who work towards peace, to an end of armed conflict once and for all. Jesus is there working for that day when:

He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.’ Revelation 21. 4

It is in that promise that we put our hope, as on this Remembrance Sunday we again face up to the horrors of the world we live in.

We Will Remember Them

With all my love and prayers

Revd Sandra