On Sacrifice

True courage is not the absence of fear, but the will to carry on in spite of it. Today, we honour the profound selflessness of those who left the familiar for the unknown, who faced the unimaginable, and who gave their futures for our present.

Their sacrifice is a stark reminder of the cost of peace. It's a debt we can never repay, only honour - by living lives worthy of that sacrifice.

"When you go home, tell them of us and say,

For your tomorrow, we gave our today."

The Kohima Epitaph

On Remembrance

Remembrance is not just a passive act of looking back. It is an active, conscious promise.

It is a promise to see the individual faces in the vast numbers - the sons, daughters, parents, family and friends. It is a promise that their stories, their courage, and their loss will not be erased by the passage of time. By remembering, we keep their legacy alive.

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them."

Laurence Binyon, "For the Fallen"

On Peace and Hope

As Catholics, we frame this remembrance in the light of our faith. We see in the selfless sacrifice of the fallen a profound echo of Christ's own ultimate sacrifice, laying down His life for others. On this day, we pray especially for the souls of all who have died, entrusting them to God's infinite mercy, that they may find eternal rest. We hold fast to the hope of the resurrection, praying that they are received into the "peace of Christ" - a perfect, lasting peace that surpasses all understanding - and we ask Mary, Queen of Peace, to intercede for our world.

The greatest inspiration we can draw from their sacrifice is a renewed commitment to peace. The red poppy is a symbol not only of remembrance but also of resilience and hope - a flower that grew in the midst of destruction.

Our duty is to be the guardians of the peace they fought for. To build a world where conflict is not the answer, and where understanding and compassion prevail. Their memory is not a call to arms, but a call to live with greater gratitude and purpose.

In the silence, we find our gratitude.

In their memory, we find our strength.

In their legacy, we find our call to build a better world.

We will remember them.