Presented to River Street Cafe, 11 November 2016
Read John 15:12-15
Greater love has no man than to lay down
his life for his friends, John 15:13.
On November 11, 1918, the armistice was
signed to end the Great War, the war to end all wars – the First
World War. Canadians, our friends and our family, in service to God, King, and
country, marched overseas to lay down their lives for our friends.
Greater love has no man than to lay down
his life for his friends.
On November 11, 1813, 200+ years ago,
Canadians repulsed an horrific enemy invasion, with the help of our friends,
the British and the First Nations. We laid down our life for our family. They
laid down their life for us, their friends.
Greater love has no man than to lay down
his life for his friends.
On November 11, we remember also our
friends and families who headed overseas for World War II, in service to God,
King, and country to lay down their lives for their friends.
Greater love has no man than to lay down
his life for his friends.
In the Cold War that followed, again
Canadians headed overseas – this time to Korea – to offer our lives on behalf
of our allies and to lay down our lives for our friends.
Greater love has no man than to lay down
his life for his friends.
As the cold war progressed, Canadians donned
blue berets for the first time protecting and reconciling populations, and
still offering our lives for our friends.
Greater love has no man than to lay down
his life for his friends.
2000 years ago, Jesus died on the cross
so that we all may live.
Greater love has no man than to lay down
his life for his friends.
Through the real horrors of the wars a
great thing happened: Canada’s primary foes during 1814, 1914, and 1944 are now
some of our closest allies. Our soldiers laid down their lives for us, their
friends. And they laid down their lives so that we could be reconciled to our
brothers. Canada is reconciled to her old foes and united with them more than
ever because of the sacrifice of friends, siblings, parents, grandparents, our
veterans.
Greater love has no man than to lay down
his life for his friends.
And it was through Jesus’ death and
resurrection that we all may experience this same reconciliation with God.
Jesus laid down his life for us, his
friends.
Jesus is the Prince of Peace and today we
are still fighting for peace as our soldiers are still laying down their lives
so that one day the dreams of World War I can be realized; one day ‘the war to
end all wars’ will finally have been fought and then their deaths will not
have been in vain for their will be no more need for tears or for brave
young men and women lay down their lives for their friends.
Today as we remember those who have laid
down their lives for us, their friends, so that we could be reconciled with our
old foes, let us us – as veterans do every year – remember that Christ laid
down his life for us, his friends so that we could be reconciled to God.
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