Lest We Forget
Today is Remembrance Day. We are all quite aware of the fact that the freedoms we enjoy come at the expense of other people's lives. Today we will pause to remember those sacrifices, and as a nation think deeply about life and death, war and peace.
Qoheleth said:
There is a time for everything; a time for every activity under the sun:
A time to weep and a time to laugh—today is a time to weep.
A time to love and a time to hate—today is a time to hate: tyranny and oppression.
A time for war and a time for peace—today we remember that there was/is a time for war, and we live and speak freely in Canada because we take this seriously.
War is awful. There is nothing nice about war. But even Jesus, the Prince of Peace, will bring peace through war. He rides on a white stallion with a sword coming out of his mouth. John writes, "With justice he judges and makes war.... He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood.... The armies of heaven were following him.... He will rule [the nations] with an iron sceptre" (Rev. 19:11-15). The battle will result in "the great supper of God" as the vultures eat the flesh of the defeated.
John McCrae's poem, "In Flanders Fields," captures well the spirit and sentiment of the day.
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.
Today, let's take time to remember.