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Felixstowe church poppies 750A

Lead me from War to Peace

As Philip Young reflects on this year’s Remembrance commemorations, he yearns for a more peaceful world where such conflicts are a thing of the past.

This year our Remembrance Day takes on added significance 100 years since the guns fell silent after the unmitigating destruction and disaster of the First World War.
 
War is never a good option. War is always a failure. The First World War was so horrific that many pledged that never again should the world be plunged into such carnage. It is easy to forget just how horrific the senseless slaughter of trench warfare was.
 
It is right that we remember those who were slaughtered. It is right to remember all those who, over the last hundred 100 years, have been killed in subsequent wars. We shall remember them.
 
So, what about the next 100 years? Can we do better as a human race? The First World War did not become the war to end all wars despite the hope that it might be. Still we spend billions of our world currencies on war and the preparations for war. Still we train our young men, and now our young women too, to fight and kill one another.
 
We ought to listen to the teachings of Jesus who is the King of Peace. Jesus teaches that we should love our enemies and do good to those who hate us. It is about time we took notice of his teaching and turned from war to peace and from hatred to love. Let us carry in our hearts nothing else but love for one another. If we do this then we shall be unable to carry in our hands any weapons designed to harm or kill our fellow brothers and sisters.
 
Let us pray the International Prayer for Peace written by Satish Kumar and offered to all in the world who wish to work and pray for a more peaceful world. Let us become active peacemakers.
 
Lead Me from Death to Life,
From Falsehood to Truth
 
Lead Me from Despair to Hope,
From Fear to Trust
 
Lead Me from Hate to Love,
From War to Peace
 
Let Peace Fill Our Heart
Our World, Our Universe…

 
 
The picture of the poppies at St John the Baptist Church in Felixstowe is courtesy of Lynda Eastaugh.

 


 

Philip Young June 2014Philip is an Anglican, Quaker, and a member of the Third Order of Franciscans, and now lives in Felixstowe. Until July 2014 he was the Diocesan Environmental Officer for the Norwich Diocese. In June 2017 he stood as an Independent Candidate for the General Election in the Suffolk Coastal Constituency.  He is now Associate Priest at St. John and St. Edmund in Felixstowe and a freelance writer on spiritual and political matters. He is available to run Quiet Days, give talks, presentations or to preach and can be contacted at philipyoung@btinternet.com

 


 

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