The poppies on Remembrance Sunday are symbols to help us to remember the horror, pain and danger of war and the beauty, colour and vitality of peace. The poppies were chosen because they appeared amidst all the carnage and degradation of the fields of Flanders. Their colour stood out against the churned and muddy earth. They were something so delicate, yet beautiful, which survived the onslaught, that they came to symbolise the hope for peace. These symbols are important as reminders, because it is so easy to forget and take life so much for granted. And in successive wars and conflicts since the poppies of Flanders’ fields, we have had to learn the lesson again, and we are still learning. As I write, the bombs are falling on Afghanistan. In a cruel twist the poppies there are opium poppies – symbols not of beauty and peace, but of addiction and destruction. And we are called to break the cycle of violence and revenge and plant seeds of peace and hope.
Jesus told a telling parable (Matthew 12:43-45) of a demon driven out of a man, but who comes back, and finds the house empty and swept clean. So he goes and finds seven more wicked demons, and all of them settle in, so that the man’s condition ends up even worse than before. It is not enough to root out evil or get rid of what threatens us. We need to replace evil with good. Nature abhors a vacuum. If we do not replace evil and injustice with justice and freedom for all, we shall end up with even more evil and injustice. So this November is a good time to remember. We have opportunity, in our own way, not only to redress wrong, but to nurture peace.
All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days are happy reminders of all those who have gone before us, and whose memory lights the path ahead. We learn from their example and are encouraged by their company, in the Communion of Saints. They help us to see the path ahead and the right way to go. They remind us we are only ‘passing travellers’ on earth and that our citizenship is in Heaven.
Remembrance Sunday must surely have particular poignancy and meaning this year. As we remember those who sacrificed their lives that we might live to enjoy freedom, we are given clear direction and purpose in the calamity and confusion of 11th September and since. We need to stand against the evil of terrorism, but also to drain the swamp of inequality and injustice which provides the conditions in which evil can flourish.
On 18th November we have the Offertory of our Children’s Society Boxes at St James. This may seem a far cry from the starving of Afghanistan, but if we cannot help to put things right at home, how can we hope to speak or act in the world? By helping the Children’s Society we are acting with them against child abuse and poverty and to create better conditions for children and young people who, through no fault of their own, have lost their way.
Then our Christmas Fair on Saturday 24 November is another opportunity. It is a real blessing that in this Parish, we are able to use all the proceeds from our Christmas Fair to help to plant those positive seeds of peace. This year we shall support, internationally, Zimbabwe. In particular, the money will be used through our link missionaries, Ben and Lisa Bentham, to help the Church witness to peace and reconciliation in very difficult circumstances. Nationally, we shall again support Youth Initiatives in Northern Ireland as a symbol of hope for the future. Locally, we shall support Dial House in Chester and their work in standing alongside those who do not enjoy the abilities we take for granted and who are disadvantaged and marginalized as a result.
These symbols, dates and events are all important lest we forget … They all provide opportunity, not only to root out evil and injustice, but also to plant seeds of peace and reconciliation.
Yours sincerely
Peter Lee
