First reading Psalm 23

Second reading Romans 12.15-end

Sermon 

I think people make the mistake in believing that Remembrance Sunday is about glorifying war, when it is quite the opposite. Remembrance Sunday is about remembering the sacrifices of war and striving to make changes in our lives and in the world to promote peace.

 Today, it is difficult to ignore the fact that despite our desire for peace, our world is affected by war. War rages across Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan, Yemen to name just a few parts of our world. Can we even imagine a world without war?

 I believe that War is a decision by a nation that certain principles are worth dying for and worth sacrificing peoples lives for. We could also argue that underneath a nation’s principles, there is also an undercurrent of a need for power and wealth that is more important than a person’s life. The dehumanisation of people is one of the factors that lead us to war. When we stop believing that our neighbour is human and deserves to be treated equally, that is when we get dangerously close to conflict, because if someone’s life does not have value in our eyes, then our beliefs are worth more than their life.

As a Christian, I believe that during Jesus’ ministry on earth, he was trying to teach us all the value of each other’s lives and that we need to love one another even if we do not agree with one another.

The Reverend Sam Wells said in his sermon Breaking bread in peace and war that

 Anyone who's really done it knows that reconciliation is harder than war. To destroy a bridge takes a second. To build one takes far longer. To kill can take a moment. To forgive can take a lifetime. The qualities that ennoble war are friendship, loyalty, courage, and unselfishness. These qualities are all required to make peace. The trouble is, while we keep war on the table as an option, we shall never fully use those qualities to make peace. We shall prop up the weakness of war, and never develop the imagination and creativity that constitute the power of peace.

 We feel helpless in the face of nations and Politicians who go to war, who fight and sacrifice life in the name of justice for them. What can we do?

I guess what we can do is consider our own actions. This may not seem like it’s going to make a huge impact on the world, but if all of us collectively strived for peace rather than war, if we all strived to value life and that all life is equal and sacred despite our differences, then we go some way to bringing peace and the Kingdom of God closer to earth. As it says in our reading from Romans, Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly;  do not claim to be wiser than you are. ¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. ¹⁸ If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

If we each of us respect and love each other, it is harder for us to be in conflict and easier for us to reconcile. If each of us open our hearts to our differences and value each other’s gifts, we are less likely to hurt each other.

 I don’t know if any of you have seen the film Crash? Its 20 years old, so some of our younger congregation members may not have seen or heard of it. Basically, the story plots the lives of various people living in Los Angeles, who all have different cultural backgrounds and their interactions with each other grow into often devastating conflicts. What struck me about the film is that all the way through the conflicts that happen between people, happen because they don’t see each other us human. They fear each other and take out their fear and anger out on each other rather than seeing that each of them have stories and lives. If we don’t see each other as human, then there is no space for humanity only for indifference.  Although I wasn’t intending on my homily this morning to be a film critique! I wanted to share the plot of another film with you called The Old Oak, which is a lot more recent. This story follows the lives of a community in County Durham where Syrian refugees were settled. It shows a poor community divided and who take out their frustration on these new arrivals. Yet as the local people get to know the refugees, things change. They see each other as human and show compassion towards each other. It only took a couple of members of the local community to stand up for the refugees and challenge the negative rhetoric, for minds to be opened and for compassion to be shown.

 Each of us has the power within us to choose to do good, to choose peace with each other rather than conflict, to weep with someone when they are weeping rather than to laugh at them in their distress. To be joyful with someone rather than feel bitter that your life isn’t as joyful. We all have the power to choose to not repay an evil act with evil, but to show compassion and kindness instead. What I ask isn’t simple or easy, it takes work, it means thinking carefully about our actions and the words that we use. It means listening and showing kindness towards those who you may not think deserve it. I wanted to end this morning with a quote from Mr Rogers, who was a children’s TV presenter for an American show called Mister Roger’s neighbourhood back in the 70’s and 80’s.

He said, ‘The world needs a sense of worth, and it will achieve it only by its people feeling that they are worthwhile.’ Try your best to make goodness attractive. That’s one of the toughest assignments you’ll ever be given.’

 Amen