It is said that at the eleventh hour
of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, 1918, the sound of shelling fell
silent at the End of the War to End All Wars. I think we can safely say by now
that recalling that moment is not, in itself, adequate. We must commit
ourselves to the ongoing—every hour of every day of every month—work of
re-membering our common but divided humanity. Our future—our children’s and
grandchildren’s future—depends on it. Our world—their world—depends on it.
I spent yesterday with friends from
the Nordkirche, the Church of the North, Germany. Every two years, we meet
together, from Durham Diocese and the Nordkirche. In 2017, I was part of the
Durham delegation at the consultation in Hamburg; in 2019, I venue-hosted the
consultation at Sunderland Minster; and in 2021, we met online. It is always
humbling, because the German participants conduct the entire proceedings in
English. Not because “we won the War!” but as sheer grace, a gift, freely
given, born of love.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the
peacemakers, for they shall be called sons and daughters of God.” (Matthew
5:9)
How will you actively strengthen
peace, today?
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