Remembering - Atchison

This week is one of Remembrance. Why do we celebrate Remembrance Day? It is intended that on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, Canadians pause in memory of the thousands of men and women who sacrificed their lives in military service.

It is my hope that this year (besides calling it a day off) that most if not all Canadians take a moment to reflect. We should be grateful that we have freedom to participate in remembering the past conflicts and the brave men and women who came forth to protect Canada. At the same time, we should pray to God for peace, to bring our military personnel home from overseas so that they can be with family and friends again.

When we remember, it is also hard to forget. I look at the world and some of its history and think; perhaps it would be better if it was forgotten. But no, I believe God doesn’t want us to forget. In remembering, we heal, and we get better – better at forgiving, better at loving and better at peace.

It may be the same case with our personal histories. There are things in people’s past I am sure they would just as soon forget. Things we say to people, the way we hurt them. It is funny, but I am trying to do a life review and it seems that it is all the bad I remember the most. Why is it that we do remember the bad stuff better than the good stuff? By remembering the bad stuff we can heal, we can change and become better people.

That is why we never forget that Jesus died on the cross for our salvation, but at the same time, we celebrate the wonder of His birth. We celebrate our own birthdays, we acknowledge death through ceremony, somber that it may be, but at the same time we celebrate life.

If nothing else this week, we can choose to reflect and look at how far we have come in peace as a nation. Proud men and women laid down their lives for generations to come after them. Our soldiers today still fight for just causes and peace.

Let us remember them, Lest we forget…