The Sacrifices we Remember

A Remembrance Day meditation planned for November 11th, 2010

Good morning. It is both an honor and a challenge, for me, to be here, having been asked to share a brief meditation on this day of Remembrance. My name is Marco Funk, and I’m the pastor at the Mennonite church here in town. Before I begin, I’d like to read a passage of scripture from the New Testament. The author is Paul the Apostle, who, before his conversion, was a persecutor of the early Christian Church. In many ways, he was like a terrorist of his time – zealous to purify the land of heretics. But God transformed this terrorist into an apostle to the Gentiles. Here these words from his pen – from Hebrews 10:11-18.

Hebrews 10:11-18
11 And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, "he sat down at the right hand of God," 13 and since then has been waiting "until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet." 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying, 16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds," 17 he also adds, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more." 18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

In my bible, the subtitle for this passage is: Christ’s sacrifice, once and for all. Sacrifice. That is what this day is all about, isn’t it? It’s an honor to remember the virtues and sacrifices of the many who have died in times of war. And it is a challenge, for me, because of a variety of reasons. It’s a challenge for me to know what kinds of words would rightly honor those who have died; but I will try.

This day of remembrance falls on November 11th because on this day, ninety-two years ago, the Germans signed the Armistice agreement, officially ending the First World War. King George the Fifth set November the 11th aside as a day on which to remember those who died during that war. Canadians take time, on this day, to remember the many people who have served the country’s military during times of war and peace. That’s a brief history on why Remembrance Day is held, and what it means to Canadians today.

A common theme that’s part of this day is the theme of sacrifice. As one author put it, “more than 100,000 people have given their lives and their futures so that we may live in peace.” – “we” being citizens of Canada. If Remembrance Day is about remembering the sacrifices of those who died so that we might live in peace; what does it mean for Canadians to remember these sacrifices in a time when there is no peace? What does it mean to remember the sacrifices of war, when Canada is at war? Does it mean that these many men and women, who gave their lives so that we could be at peace – does it mean that they died in vain? The very thought of this is impossible for us, and it adds more pain to the already painful memory of what we’re doing here this morning. At the very least, remembering the pains of war should commit Canadians to using all means necessary to avoid war. But Canada is at war – and Canadian troops are being asked to sacrifice their lives for the sake of peace.

War is a sacrifice of more than just the lives of soldiers. Perhaps war would be a much more positive memory in our minds, if all that was asked of soldiers was that they would sacrifice their lives for their neighbours. If that were the case, then we could celebrate war as the clearest act of brotherly love; after all, Jesus Christ himself taught that there was no greater display of love than for one person to lay down their life for one’s friends. If the sacrifice of war was simply the sacrifice of one’s life for the sake of the neighbour, then we would be dancing, celebrating, and partying. After all, there is not much that is nobler than to give your life for the sake of another. But the sacrifices of war are more complex than this.

There is a reason why the act of remembrance on this day is one that disturbs, it makes us quiet, silent, and reflective – rather than exuberant and joyful. This disturbed feeling, the long silences, and the reflective sombreness of our remembrance is the result of a much greater sacrifice than the sacrifice of one’s life for the sake of the neighbour. The really great – and by great I mean powerful and transforming – sacrifice that is asked of Canadian soldiers is that they sacrifice their innocence.

Canadians frequently speak of themselves as tolerant, peace-loving, kind and respectful. These are the virtues soldiers are asked to sacrifice when they volunteer to not only die for the sake of peace, but to also wage war against Canada’s enemies for the sake of peace. After all, war is a tragedy of humanity, where soldiers are asked to butcher one another on the battlefield. The most transformative sacrifice of war is that soldiers are asked to sacrifice their usual unwillingness to kill. Humans do not instinctively kill one another.

In war, soldiers are asked to sacrifice this part of their humanity – THIS is the reason why remembering their sacrifice is haunting for us. They have been asked to do what most Canadians could not fathom doing. We can easily imagine ourselves dying for our neighbours, protecting our family or loved ones. But we cannot fathom being asked to kill complete strangers – those whom we have never known. We cannot engage the reality of killing another human being as one might kill an animal.

This is also why one of the most important things that society needs to do, when a soldier returns home from combat, is that society embrace them and make room for their story of tragedy, woundedness and loss. Society too often wishes nothing more than to hand out an award and then silence their story of sheer inhumanity. Society would rather not be reminded of what soldiers have been asked to sacrifice on their behalf – that we have asked them to kill their fellow human being. This sacrifice is too terrible for us to remember with joy; and that is why we remember in silence. That is why we better wear a poppy; its why we ought to shed a tear; its why we ought to find some way, anyway, of avoiding war rather than to send our young men and women to go and do what none of us would ever consider doing. The remembrance of their sacrifice must be a call to action: to abolish the madness of humans butchering fellow humans.

But is there a way? Is there a way for true peace today? I know of only one sacrifice that has made true peace a real possibility for us. Almost two-thousand years ago, a young Jewish Rabbi named Jesus was killed by the government of Rome, at the request of the people. This young man taught anyone who would listen about a Kingdom of Peace and Justice. He taught his followers to love one another and even to love and pray for their enemies, to forgive criminals. His message was not heard. He was rejected and they hung him on a cross, where he gave up his life. But God, to whom Jesus was completely loyal, even unto death on a cross – this God vindicated Jesus – God proved him right – by raising him from the dead. God gave him the highest title there is. Jesus is Lord and Christ and he is the President of Peace, he is the Prince of Peace.

I know of only one sacrifice that has made true peace a real possibility for us. It is the sacrifice of Jesus, the Son of God, who freely gave his life for us that we might be reconciled to God and to one another. His followers were a group of former enemies: including a sell-out tax collector, a left-wing revolutionary fighter, and some fishermen. These former enemies were made friends – and their movement is still around today – it is called ‘the Church’. In this fellowship, which spans across all nations – Germany, England, Afghanistan, USA, Canada, Iraq, Paraguay and Mexico, and all the rest – this group of disciples continues to exist as God’s experiment of peace.

As Canadians remember the ongoing sacrifices of war in a time of war, as a preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I can do nothing more than to invite you to know this Jesus, who is Lord. He is calling you to follow. Let his Lordship bring peace into your life. I invite you to join this peace experiment called ‘the Church’ and be a part of a community made up of white and native, Arab, Asian and African folks, poor people and rich people, men and women, single people and married people – come be a part of this community that goes beyond national boundaries and borders, a people who know each other as brother and sister – come be a part of God’s plan in which the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, is the end of war!

May God, our Father, transform our hearts, our community and our world so that His Son would receive all fame and allegiance, and may God’s Spirit draw us into the Body of Christ, into Him who is our Peace. Amen.