A Reflective Prayer for Remembrance Sunday

Jesus said

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid”.      John 14:27

I pray for healing for those afflicted by war……….

Before you, God of all ages; past; present and future.
I remember those whose lives have been transformed by war,
those who have returned from battle,
forever changed by what they witnessed.
Those who have borne, and those who still bear wounds of body and mind
because of what they have endured
and those who had their lives taken from them,
against theirs or their families wishes, against their hopes, and against their expectations
those now remembered by name on war memorials and by us,
their descendants, for the sacrifice of their life, made in war,
those who left a gap too big to contemplate for mothers, fathers, wives and children.
Lord, I ask you to hold in your loving embrace all those who live in places of violence,
all who still fear for their lives.

I pray for healing, I ask for forgiveness, I pray for peace
I pray that we will remember
I pray that we will not lose hope.

I pray for forgiveness………

God of every nation, every border and every community,
as I remember those who gave their life for our sake,

I am stirred by their memory to confess that humankind has not done all that is possible to promote peace and justice in our world.
We have not loved our neighbours, let alone our enemies.
Forgive us all for failing to live up to your commandments.
Forgive us when we have not worked for love, truth, peace and justice for those oppressed, violated and abused
and when we have failed to create opportunities for the coming of your kingdom in this world.
Forgive us we pray and welcome us by your grace into your kingdom.

I pray for healing, I ask for forgiveness, I pray for peace
I pray that we will remember
I pray that we will not lose hope.

I pray for peace………

God of expansive love, peace and grace:

May the memory of those whose skills, talents and love have been lost to the world,
provide for us the impetus to exercise wisdom and integrity in recognising and combatting hatred, injustice and exclusion in all their forms.
I pray in their memory, that in our hard-won freedom
we will always choose the more difficult path of self-control, life, and peace and the human flourishing that you intend for us,
for all generations – past, present and still to come.
And Lord, do not let our prayers excuse us from being active for peace in our homes,
our communities and the world.

I pray for healing, I ask for forgiveness, I pray for peace
I pray that we will remember
I pray that we will not lose hope.

And I say the prayer we remember

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen

————-

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
we will remember them.

When you go home, tell them of us and say,
for their tomorrow we gave our today

The Kohima Epitaph – John Maxwell Edmonds (1875–1958) written c. 1916

Rev. Janine