Remembrance Day in a world marked by war: Pursuing the long road of peace

Julian Paparella

Saturday, November 11, 2023

Photo by Nathan J Hilton on Pexels.

For many of us, war may feel like something that only happens far away. We think of wars that happened long ago in history books, or in distant lands from which we feel far removed. For others, war has had a drastic impact either on our own personal story, or at least on our family history. This Remembrance Day, more than many in recent history, we are mindful that war is a reality in our world. We cannot turn a blind eye to what is happening these days in Israel and Palestine, nor can we ignore what is still going on in Ukraine.

Those of us who are fortunate enough to have only ever lived in peace may find it difficult to fathom what war would be like. We can become so used to peace that we may take it for granted, as if it was just a normal state of affairs and not something precious. Then we realize that others have given their lives so that we might have peace. We can think of the countless men and women who died on the beaches and in the trenches over the last century, in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf Wars, and more. We can think of those men and women who were sent to Afghanistan and Iraq earlier this century. Many of these were our fellow citizens. If we had lived in another generation, it could have been us instead of them. If they had not gone, our world may very well look quite different than it does today. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to visit Canadian war cemeteries overseas have been struck by the fact that young Canadians, many of them younger than we are, died in foreign fields in the hope of making their contribution towards a world of justice and peace. The world we live in is the legacy they leave for us.

Despite their sacrifice, our world is still marked by war, conflict, and violence. Peace is never secured once and for all. It must constantly be worked at, with effort and deliberate choices, so that it does not slip through our fingers. If it is not taken care of, peace can easily crumble. For nearly two years now, peace has tragically been pulled out from under the feet of the people of Ukraine. More recently, our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land have seen longstanding tensions erupt before their very eyes. In so many places around the world, people live amidst turmoil, unrest, and persecution. As Pope Francis has reminded us: “War is a failure of politics and of humanity, a shameful capitulation, a stinging defeat before the forces of evil” (Fratelli Tutti, #261).

In the face of unspeakable hardship, Cardinal Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, has called upon the whole world to see the suffering of others as a call to play our part:

The tragedy of these days must lead us all, religious, political, civil society, international community, to a more serious commitment than what has been done so far. This is the only way to avoid other tragedies like the one we are experiencing now. We owe it to the many victims of these days and to those of years past. We do not have the right to leave this task to others (Letter to the Entire Diocese, 24 October 2023).

As Christians and as fellow human beings in the face of war, we are called first and foremost to care. We are called to be peacemakers where we are, in the hopes of a more peaceful world. Peace, like charity, starts at home. It begins in the family, where we first learn how to get along with each other. Peace is a way of being with others, calling us out of our selfishness and self-centredness. Peace calls us to live in harmony even with those who are very different from us. Peace means building bridges, entering into dialogue, and choosing the power of love over the love of power. Peace radiates outwards from a heart that seeks what is good for others. We are called to pray for peace, to pray for those who live without peace, and to pray for those who have died because they lacked peace. We can think of the families, children, and all the people of those regions who are in the grips of war, seemingly with no way of escape.

On Remembrance Day, let us remember that peace is a marathon, not a sprint. It is a journey worth every step. For many, it has cost them their lives. We cannot remain indifferent before the blood shed by our brothers and sisters in the human family, throughout history and still today.

God of peace, we lift up to You our brothers and sisters who have lost their lives because of violence and conflict. We ask You to protect those who suffer the scourge of war. We ask You to send Your Spirit to lead us to a future of peace on the path to Your Kingdom. Amen.

Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us.