Patmos Abbey - the Order of St Columba
  • Welcome!
  • Order of St Columba -An Introduction
    • Our Story
    • Our Mission
    • Our Values
    • How does Abbey see Jesus of Nazareth?
  • Celtic Spirituality
    • A Concise History of the Celtic Way
    • A Litany of Celtic Saints
    • Ita - Nurtura of Saints -January 15
    • Brigid of Kildare - February 6
    • Patrick - apostle to Ireland - March 17
    • Egbert - April 24th
    • Venerable Bede - May 25
    • Columba of Iona - June 9
    • Kilian - the missionary - July 8th
    • Aidan of Lindisfarne - August 31
    • Ciaran - September 9th
    • Francis of Assisi - October 4th
    • Columbanus - November 23rd
    • Finian of Clonard - December 12th
    • What is the influence of the Celtic Christianity?
    • What is the relevance of Celtis Christianity in the 21st century?
    • Some features of Celtic Spirituality
    • Celtic Cross
  • The Abbey
    • Ways of Connecting
    • The Emerging expression of community
    • House communities and the Jesus Movement - a perspective
    • Monastic Virtues and Ecumenical Hopes
  • Mingary Online Oratory
    • Requests for Intercession
    • Light a Candle
    • 3 minute a day 'mini-breaks'
    • Reflect as you Go
    • Labyrinth Walk
    • Music and Chant Reflections
    • Daily Reflection "bread 4 life"
    • Lectio Divina - for each day
    • Daily Office
    • Remembering those we love...
    • Taize
    • Calendar
    • Plainchant
  • The Abbey Institute of Spiritual Direction and life-mentoring
    • Spiritual Direction >
      • 12 Steps recovery and Spiritual Direction
    • Prayers and Spirituality
    • Spirituality and Practice - the power of 12
    • Jewish Table Blessings
    • Solitude with God
    • Rituals and Blessings to help Family life
    • Prayers for Healing Painful Memories
    • Patrick of Ireland's Breastplate prayer
    • Celtic Blessings
    • Casting a caim or encircling prayer
    • The Jesus Prayer
    • Lectio Divina
    • Quiet Quest
    • How to meditate
    • Guided meditations...
    • Coping with Change
  • ColumCille House
  • Outreach - SmallSteps Project
    • Myphatso
  • The Christian Year
    • Lectionary Resources
    • Advent Prayers, Resources and Themes
    • Christmas - New Year >
      • A Celtic Christmas reflection
      • A Celtic New Year Blessing and Prayer
      • The Epiphany
    • Morning and Evening Prayer for Lent
    • Lenten resources
    • Holy Week and Easter
    • A Pentecost reflection
    • Some Pentecost prayers
  • The Four Gospels and Paul
    • Matthew
    • Mark
    • Luke
    • John
    • Paul of Tarsus
  • St Columba's School of Theology and Ministry
  • Monastery of the Heart Network
  • Abbey Blog - Guest Book
  • Suggested Reading
  • St Aidan's Bookstore
  • Links
  • Contact us...
  • Charter of Compassion
  • Centre for Loss and Life Transitions
  • The Lindisfarne Gospels
  • Book of Kells

Remembrance: penitence or pageantry? 

13/11/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
The following came across my desk these past few days.  My own reflection on it suggested that others may find it poignant as well...


Remembering all who have died and those who must live with deformed bodies, mangled psyches, ruined lands and an inheritance of hate, is something we should never neglect. But the manner in which we commemorate the devastation caused by generations of collective failure should never be permitted to become an area beyond criticism.' 


“All war represents a failure of diplomacy.” Tony Benn's words are no less true for being so widely and frequently repeated. That the failure brings immeasurable suffering which cascades down through the generations, is beyond dispute.

Remembering all who have died and those who must live with deformed bodies, mangled psyches, ruined lands and an inheritance of hate, is something we should never neglect. But the manner in which we commemorate the devastation caused by generations of collective failure should never be permitted to become an area beyond criticism.

All the ceremonies which have taken place today are strongly military in tone. They focus on those who have died in military action and are expressed in the pageantry, which, though subdued for the occasion, is part of the military tradition. The language used changes little and relies heavily on what might be called 'good bad poetry' - memorable because it is essentially designed to ring in the ear with a strong and immediate effect on the emotions. “At the going down of the sun”, “they grow not old”, “for your tomorrow, we gave our today” - all these have become so much part of the fabric of remembrance that we have perhaps ceased to listen beyond the sonority, to think past the comfortable, quasi-religious cadences to the reality of the the futility and waste of war.

If we would remember with integrity, we need to acknowledge the failure which is at the root of war. Penitence would seem a better atmosphere with which to surround the ceremonies of remembrance than the current rituals which tend more towards a celebration of militarism than an honest and humble reflection on the horror of war. It is worth remembering what Harry Patch, the 'last Tommy' had to say: “It's all show-business”.

When politicians and religious leaders approach the cenotaph with ashes on their foreheads; when military personnel are willing to march without regimental honours, insignia of rank or any of the glittering accoutrements of military celebration, then perhaps we will truly honour all the dead – military and civilian – and begin to acknowledge our collective culpability for that failure which is the 'pity of war'.



© Jill Segger is an Associate Director of Ekklesia with particular involvement in editorial issues. She is a freelance writer who contributes to the Church Times, Catholic Herald, Tribune, Reform and The Friend, among other publications. Jill is an active Quaker


0 Comments

    Archives

    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    September 2014
    March 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    July 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    March 2011
    October 2010

    Categories

    All
    Advent Message And Credo 2013
    Advent - O Antiphons
    All Saints
    Anzac Day
    Christmas Message 2012
    Do It Any Way
    Earth Day
    Easter Message 2012
    Epiphany 2013
    Exploring Your Faith
    Good Friday
    Lenten Journey
    Nelson Mandela
    Prayer For Dialogue
    Remembrance Day
    Resurrection
    Walking Sticks

    RSS Feed

    No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to the Abbey Blog its contributors  or the blogspot itself, for any or all of the articles placed here.

    The publishing of an article here does not, nor should it be interpreted as, an agreement or acceptance, of the article contents as being factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

    Accessing this blogspot and perusing its articles is considered as an acceptance of the above.

    Guardian - Patmos Abbey


Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from Haprog_, piX1966, Sortu, Starzyia, shes_so_high, Giåm, MGSpiller, potamos.photography, abhikrama, pettifoggist, cowley.dave1, wtl photography, Adam Tinworth, _M-j-H_, Rafael Gomez-http://micamara.es/, newagecrap, Panoramas