November 11 marks Remembrance Day. At the eleventh hour of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month in 1918, the guns fell silent, bringing an end to the Great War. Each year, we pause in silence to honour the courage of those who served, to mourn the lives lost and to renew our prayerful hope for peace in our world.
“God of peace and compassion, we remember the fallen, those who laid down their lives in the service of their country. Hold in your care all who grieve, all who carry scars of body, mind and spirit, we hold up to you, all who still serve. Grant us the grace to honour their sacrifice not only with words, but with lives that seek justice, mercy, and reconciliation. Give us the wisdom and courage to pursue peace and the strength to bind up the broken hearted. May our remembrance lead to hope, and our silence to resolve. We ask this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen”.
– Rev Dr Peter Devenish Meares, Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane