[Music] so [Music] [Music] so [Music] foreign [Music] good morning and welcome on this sunday morning of what we call here remembrance sunday it's the time when at war memorials across the land and across so many parts of the world we are remembering those who have died in conflicts in years gone past and praying for peace and reconciliation at this time we've come up here on this typical november morning a wonderful morning as the sun itself comes up through the mist and begins to shine on bell harry tower behind me of course england is in lockdown and so many of the activities that would normally be taking place this morning of remembrance with a degree of enormous formality led by the queen at the cenotaph all of those have been made much smaller and are adhering to the rules of this time of lockdown but our remembrance has never been more powerful it's a day when we pray for the leaders of the nations and as the american election draws to its close we pray for the president-elect and vice president there and all the people of the united states of america as we say our morning prayers on this sunday the 8th of november oh lord open our lips and our mouth shall proclaim your praise let your ways be known upon earth your saving power among the nations blessed are you lord god of our salvation to you be praise and glory forever as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief your only son was lifted up that he might draw the whole world to himself may we walk this day in the way of the cross and always be ready to share its weight declaring your love for all the world blessed be god father son and holy spirit blessed be god forever the night has passed the day lies open before us let us pray with one heart and mind as we rejoice in the gift of this new day so may the light of your presence o god set our hearts on fire with love for you now and forever amen the special psalm for this remembrance sunday is psalm 46 god is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble therefore we will not fear though the earth be moved and though the mountains tremble in the heart of the sea though the waters rage and swell and though the mountains quake at the towering seas there is a river whose streams make glad the city of god the holy place of the dwelling of the most high god is in the midst of her therefore shall she not be removed god shall help her at the break of day the nations are in uproar and the kingdoms are shaken but god utters his voice and the earth shall melt away the lord of hosts is with us the god of jacob is our stronghold come and behold the works of the lord what destruction he has wrought upon the earth he makes wars to cease in all the world he shatters the bow and snaps the spear and burns the chariots in the fire be still and know that i am god i will be exalted among the nations i will be exalted in the earth the lord of hosts is with us the god of jacob is our stronghold so today a special lesson also it's taken from the first letter of paul to timothy it's a book that we ourselves studied day by day two weeks ago and so i shall need to say nothing about its provenance and we shall think entirely of the message of these verses chapter 2 verse 1. first of all then i urge that supplications prayers intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all people for sovereigns and all who are in high positions that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life godly and dignified in every way this is good and it is pleasing in the sight of god our savior who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth for there is one god and there is one mediator between god and humanity christ jesus who shared our humanity and gave himself as a ransom for all which is the testimony given at the proper time for this i was appointed a preacher and an apostle i am telling the truth i am not lying a teacher of the gentiles in faith and truth that short lesson gives a glimpse of what paul felt his ministry was it knew no national boundaries it relied for its safety in travel on the piece which was given at that time by the roman empire across the mediterranean region and beyond and at the same time it relied upon the common use of the common greek language so that people could understand what was being said and that was a crucial activity for paul for the understanding of the message was for all people that was the image of the first day of pentecost as people came together but today we gather with a sense first of all of sadness for all the conflicts throughout human history for that lesson shows us what is good and acceptable and what folk really desire how precious is the gift of peace in lives individually locally nationally and across our human world the peace of our planet at this time and so of course the lesson starts with an instruction that prayers should always be said for those in positions of authority with the responsibility for the welfare of their people but also in a wider context the welfare of the world very often when you go into someone's house for the first time and maybe uh at these times of social distancing we don't do it so much but uh it was usual when one became friends for the first time maybe with all neighbors for someone to say let me just go and get you some tea or coffee in you find yourself left alone perhaps in the room that they used most often and around were many objects and are many objects and certainly we ourselves will have those objects and little mementos that go alongside memories kept in our head and stories that we could tell about so many things and the moment you start saying if you take an interest in one of the pictures or objects or books in the room uh oh tell me um when you read that or what is this or and then what happens is a story begins to happen and memories begin to be shared and those memories are powerful in the life that goes on following the activity of joy or sadness which caused that object or book to be so precious i well remember the letter kept in the middle of the great war by my grandmother which came one morning after they thought that my uh great uncle george was dead and the letter came oh months after that when they had had a little thanksgiving in the parish church for him and the letter was covered with uh signs and crossing outs of of of things which might give the game a way of where he was but it was saying he was alive and that little slip of paper always had a real treasured place in my grandmother's possessions in terms of human worth it was worth nothing at all it would have sold for nothing but to her it was the most precious sign of life but memories also continue the life of the one who was lost when they really were killed in conflict and across the world those memorials and from where i'm standing here through the mist i can see the trees that the memorial garden just beginning to appear with the sun shining like a disc and also in the other direction the war memorial of our cathedral school our king's school which is easier for me to see because it's slightly nearer at both those places this morning we are allowed to have a limited ceremony so i shall be going to the great memorial here within the precincts and representatives of the county of kent and the city of canterbury and the british legion who whose task it is to look after those still affected by war will be there to lay wreaths of poppies which from the great war onwards became the sign and symbol of this day and also at the school memorial certain of the scholars and and members of the school senior members because only a few can come everything must be limited and social distance is observed but we're told and this is a a blessed thing we're told we can sing just in a limited way and so at the war memorial here at the cathedral in the precincts we shall sing a verse of oh god our help in ages past our hope for years to come our shelter from the stormy blast and our eternal home and as we do so we shall be remembering all those that that memorial signifies and we'll be conscious that we're doing so in the company of so many millions across the world with memories of that kind even in places where wars and conflicts still continue and at the same time those who have been lost through acts of terrorism the violence that humanity is capable of so all those things sit in the context of memory and we remember the power of that word remember that this time poetry has said very often and some lime lines of almost unknown poet laurence binion who wrote a poem uh now is the time of the burning of the leaves november always has a slight smoky smell it did last night from the bonfires from the traditional bonfires of november the 5th which carry forward to the next weekend but he also wrote a poem for the fallen and lines from that have been said millions and millions of times they will be said this morning they shall grow not old as we that are left grow old age shall not weary them nor the years condemn at the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them and the response has always been we will remember them we in the christian church know the power of that word remember from the one who the night before he was put to death and nailed to a cross by soldiers said do this in remembrance of me it's not just a looking back it's also a looking forward at the going down of the sun and in the morning and now the sun is beginning to rise above the mist and that wonderful sight is giving the sense to creation that a new day is beginning at the beginning of all our prayers we say each morning the gift of this new day and that gift is there to be used today it will begin with many memories it continues with many prayers prayers for the rest of those who have died prayers for ourselves as the journey continues and prayers for those who have to make hard decisions and for all of us in making a decision to go forward and seek that peace which the remembrance is attempting to create the welfare of all humanity and a deep understanding we shall stand in silence as we always do for words cannot express remembrance as well as silence and those words will be said and at the same time all of us must have an intention to go forward as the sun comes up and lightens the world a fresh new day is given and our intention is to seek for peace reconciliation and the welfare of all humanity on this remembrance sunday so today there are no special intentions for special nations no barriers no provinces remembered we are remembering those across the whole world who feel sadness and sorrow for those they have lost in conflicts gone by and for those who still suffer as a result of war we remember them all and in this we have a common humanity there are no sides it's a question of us all in the silence knowing our humanity and our need for penitence before our creator for the misuse of his gifts and the intention to use them well today here is the prayer for this week almighty father whose will is to restore all things in your beloved son the king of all govern the hearts and minds of those in authority and bring the families of the nations divided and torn apart by the ravages of sin to be subject to his just and gentle rule who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the holy spirit one god now and forever amen so we say the prayer our lord taught us which unites our many languages our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom the power and the glory forever and ever are men so we keep a silence of remembrance and of intention so the peace of god which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of god and of his son jesus christ our lord and the blessing of god almighty the father the son and the holy spirit be upon you upon those whom you love and remember and would pray for this day today and always amen [Music] oh [Music] foreign [Music] oh [Music] so [Music] is [Music] [Music] ah [Music] [Music] [Music] you