Remembrance Day

By: Danielle Lee

This Month we remember the soldiers who fought for our freedoms and for those who lost their lives. We thank each and everyone of them for their acts of bravery. But we would also like to remember those who were in support positions, like the bakers, chefs, paramedics, etc. These were crucial roles as well and in remembrance of these people it reminds us of Jesus and his 3 years of dedicated ministry, teaching and healing. He has 2 days before his arrest and what does he do? He sits down in front of a temple treasury and watches people put money in and watches one poor widow put a few copper coins in. He then says

“Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything-all she had to live on,” (Mark 12: 43-44).

Even the disciples would have missed her if Jesus hadn’t waited for her and lifted her up to their attention. God sees her. God cares for her. He sees our struggles and recognizes our challenges. Even more, God invites us to look around and see each other in the community who are discriminated against, who cannot find work, who have been abandoned and need to fend for themselves, those in despair. God invites us to see them and to care for them.

“Look for where God is already at work and join God’s efforts to see those in distress, help them find comfort and relief, and work for a more just world.

Remembrance Day isn’t just about the heroes; it’s about the foot soldiers in the trenches, the wives waiting for husbands, the widows and the orphans who gave their whole life. And Remembrance Day isn’t about war or winning; it’s about building peace by building justice, about lifting up the values of our faith that Jesus came to give to all people.

God cares, and God invites us to care, too. God believes that we have something to contribute, that we can make a difference, that our words and actions can help bring more fully to fruition the kingdom Jesus proclaimed and embodied. Even when we fall short, the God who raised Jesus from the dead will bring all things in time to a good end.

God often uses unlikely people and sources to accomplish His purposes. God’s mercy extends to all people, both Jews and Gentiles, and God sees the widows at the end of their resources, and blesses them for their faith. Surely God blesses us too.”

Adapted from https://oakvillenews.org