REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY 2016

The annual Remembrance Day Parade was held at the Cenotaph in Cape Town on the 13th of November. This was my input for the Parade.

INTRODUCTION

The Deputy Mayor, ambassadors, military guests, military members on parade, military veterans, ladies and gentlemen. Today we come to commemorate those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, those known to us and also those we don't know. Today we remember those who died in the clashes that occurred right here in Cape Town when the first settlers from Europe arrived. We remember those who died in the Frontier Wars, those who gave their lives during the wars between those who moved northwards from the Cape into the interior, those who died in the Anglo-Boer Wars, the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War, the Border War in Namibia and more recently those who died on peacekeeping missions in the Central African Republic, in the DRC and in South Sudan. We remember also those innocent people who died as a result of war, remembering especially those who died in cross fire, those who died fleeing from war, those who were interred in concentration camps and especially those who were killed in the death camps of the Second World War. The red poppy is a stark and powerful symbol of the blood that has been shed and of the many lives that have been shattered as a result of war.

As we remember those who have died, no matter the side they fought for, we are reminded that war is a blight on our social order. Those of us who have witnessed first-hand the horrors of war know that war is to be avoided at all costs; that even though wars are fought and won, in reality everyone loses. Wars fought in the name of religions that preach peace and love are especially heinous. So today we come also to commit ourselves to finding and working for peace and reconciliation instead of war. Today we come to stand against the glamorisation of war and to say no to all war talk rhetoric that we hear from some of our politicians - at home and abroad.

Today also we come to remember those of our own National Defence Force who are on duty today in peacekeeping missions on the African continent, those at sea, those deployed along our border line and those deployed in the Kruger National Park. Today we remember all the innocent victims of war, especially the wars that continue to ravage our continent.

Hymn:       Abide with me

Input from the Muslim chaplain

READING

Matthew 5

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
⁵ ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
⁷ ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
⁸ ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
⁹ ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

PRAYER

O God, forgive us for choosing war instead of peace. O God, forgive us for glamorising war instead of facing the horrors of it. O God, forgive us for choosing revenge instead of reconciliation. O God, forgive us for fighting instead of loving. O God, forgive us for alienating ourselves from one another instead of finding our common humanity. O God, forgive us for our policies that divide us instead of uniting us. O God, forgive us for conquering instead of negotiating. O God, forgive us for wounding instead of healing. O God, forgive us for choosing war instead of peace.

Today O God, we pray for peace. We pray that you will raise up peacemakers amongst us that peace may become a permanent reality in our world. We pray for all our leaders, that you may grant them wisdom, that they may be guided to find ways of peace and not war. We pray for the victims of war, both past and present, that they will find healing and wholeness in their suffering. Today we remember all those who have died in armed conflict, no matter which side they were on, and pray that you may grant them eternal rest.

Today O God, we pray for peace. We pray that peace will start with us. We pray that we will find new ways of loving, healing and reconciling.

We pray this in the Name of the Prince of Peace.

Amen.

Hymn:       I vow to thee my country

BENEDICTION

May the blessing of God go before us.
May God’s grace and peace abound.
May God’s spirit live within us,
May God’s love embrace and enfold us.
May God’s blessing remain with us always,
May we walk on holy ground.  Amen