Each year on November 11, Canadians pause to remember. We stand in silence, we bow our heads, and we reflect on the great cost paid by those who served in times of war and peacekeeping. Remembrance Day is not only about history—it is about gratitude, humility, and hope. It is about honouring the courage of men and women who believed that some things are worth protecting freedom, dignity, and the peace of future generations.
As people of faith, remembrance takes on an even deeper meaning. Scripture often calls us to remember—remember God’s faithfulness, remember the suffering of others, remember the call to pursue peace. Jesus reminds us, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). On this day we not only honour sacrifice but recommit ourselves to Christ’s vision of a world reconciled in love.
We remember those who never returned home.We remember those who came home wounded, in body and spirit.
We remember families who waited and those who mourned.
We remember chaplains who prayed on battlefields, medics who tended the fallen, and peacekeepers who stood between conflict and calm.
We remember, and we give thanks.
But remembrance is not passive. It invites us to action. As followers of Jesus, we are called to be instruments of God’s peace in our world today — advocating for justice, extending compassion, building bridges, forgiving freely, and working for a future where war is no longer necessary.
This November, may the poppy remind us not only of sacrifice, but of hope.
May the silence deepen our gratitude and strengthen our commitment to peace.
And may we, as Christ’s church, continue the holy work of love in a world still longing for healing.
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).
We remember. We give thanks. We strive for peace.