...the poppies grow

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
 Between the crosses, row on row,

   That mark our place; and in the sky

   The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

   Loved and were loved, and now we lie

         In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

   The torch; be yours to hold it high.

   If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

         In Flanders fields.

This poem is by Lt. Colonel John McCrae.
He was a soldier, a physician and a poet
during World War I.

Today, November 11th, our church, 

along with other churches throughout the world,

will ring our church bell 11 times at 11 AM.

This ringing of the bells

was at the request of an organization called

Veterans for Peace.

As you may know,

November 11th is Veterans Day.

What you may not know is that 

this day only became Veterans Day in 1954.

Before that it was known as Armistice Day.

November 11th was the day 

when what we now call World War I ended

On this day in 1918 the fighting stopped, the guns were laid down

and the  “war to end all wars” ended.

Over 29,000,000 soldiers were killed or wounded in that war.

On November 11, 1918

bells rang out across the world to celebrate that the guns had gone silent.

Congress declared Armistice Day a national holiday 

“to be dedicated to the cause of world peace.”

Sadly, peace did not last very long.

As we know, other wars have followed.

If anyone knows the horrors of war and the priceless value of peace

it is veterans.

It is these men and women

and the families of those men and women 

who offer everything they have.

For many of us, 

being willing to lay down our lives for what we believe

is a concept beyond our understanding.

Some may argue that violence and war

are not the way 

to bring about a lasting peace.

Some may argue that violence and war

are not following the path of Jesus Christ,

the Prince of Peace.

These are good and profound arguments.

But we must be careful

lest we look like the scribes in long robes--

reaping all the benefits from the sacrifices others are making 

so that our lives might be comfortable and safe--

while devouring what others give.

Whatever our position on war or peace,

we must always be mindful of those 

who have been willing to give everything.

Everything.