Remembrance Sunday thoughts

With All Saints & All Souls last weekend, our Tuesday memorial service next week and Remembrance Sunday this week it seems the whole theme of memorial is hanging in the air. Sunday will see us standing at the war memorial for the 2 minutes' silence at 11 o' clock (& this year, for the first time, I'll be at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford in the afternoon).. But I want the service (at 9.45) to be one of commitment to peace - not in spite of those who go to war, but in honour of them.

Our readings are Amos 5: 18-24
Thessalonians 4: 13-18
Matthew 25: 1-13

Thessalonians is concerned about the dead & their 'fate' in God.
Amos & Matthew are both concerned with 'values'.
Amos contains the 'I despise your sacrifices... I require mercy & justice' bit.
Matthew is the parable of the wise and foolish virgins.
We may have some cubs at the service so I guess they might hook into the 'be prepared' element of the story of the virgins - but surely Jesus meant to say something a bit more than this?
And how do wisdom and justice and discernment bring peace?

Hmmmm.

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