This is the message I gave at the VE Service (8th May) at the 11:00am Remembrance Service at the Mildenhall Cenotaph. It was based on Micah 4:1-4 particularly v.3 – “He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”
For over a hundred years at this cenotaph, our soldier above has seen the people of Mildenhall and surrounds observe, commemorate, remember the end of a war which was described as ‘the war to end all wars’.
But we are here today and still to observe, commemorate, and remember that there was another war – in fact the world is full of wars even right now – but today we are reminded of the sad truth that it seems we never really learn how to beat swords into ploughshares or spears into pruning hooks but we put them away and keep them close in case we need them again. And so today we think of another war – World War 2 – other sacrifices, more names were added to this cenotaph. Today 80 years ago the fighting in Europe ended – and there was so much relief, so much celebration – but the war continued.
All of us love it when the fighting at home stops, when the bully doesn’t pick on us, when the conflict ends. We take what we can get. But what we long for is not just the arguing, fighting, bullying, conflict to end but for there to be peace and reconciliation and security that lessens the fighting ever starting up again. Of course, we’ll take a cease fire to stop the fighting but what we desire is peace and justice so that there is no need for more fighting.
Remembering is usually us looking back; reading, hearing, seeing the past in some way. Children, perhaps you have grandparents who can tell you how they felt on this day 80 years ago – what they hoped for – what happened next.
But remembering and memory can also be the past coming to us – affecting us – reminding us of who we are. A couple remember their wedding day and it affects their today. An act of charity in the past can affect us today. Unfortunately it can go the other way and an anger of the past can become anger of today. The world uses justice to help us deal with the anger of the past. But forgiveness is very important – because it still remembers the past but wants reconciliation and mercy turn the bad from yesterday into something good today.
That’s the message of the cross – emblematic of sacrifice that the past can bring new beginnings, forgiveness, mercy into our todays and help us live – not just with cease fires but with peace.
So as we remember VE Day, let us not just imagine back then but let us bring the sacrifice, the relief, and the joy of 1945 into today, into 2025, so that we and the generations after us do not repeat the behaviours of the past century and seek peace, justice, and the common good for all, always.
Today we again remember the sacrifice of so many. We honour it. We smile at the relief and celebrations of 80 years ago. And we commit ourselves to learn and to act in 2025 so that everyone can have relief from conflict and celebrate. Lest we forget.
GS