I imagine that Creator is watching us in this moment, and I hear Her asking:

Beloved, what have you decided to forget?
Beloved, what are you choosing to remember?

As we mark another Remembrance Day, I find myself drawn to three stories—memories that help me reflect on what this national pause is meant to evoke. When the winds of war blow, we must be careful not to be swept away by the violence of logic, especially when it comes at the cost of our Christian call to care for one another and for Creation.

What Shall We Remember? Forget?

Feature: What Shall We Remember? Forget?

A Legacy of Service & Faith

In my current role as Principal at St. Andrew's College and as a Chaplain serving in the Canadian Armed Forces, I am aware of the college's long history of walking through the ambiguity of war with a commitment to the Gospel. The College's first Principal, Edmund Oliver, found himself in the trenches of the First World War, preparing people for ministry amid the horrors that war inflicts on young people who answer the call to serve.

Since 2006, the Canadian Armed Forces Chaplain Service has held the motto: Vocatio ad servitium—"The Call to Serve." This call is not about deciding whether world politics are right or wrong. It is about being a pastoral presence, offering care and support when the world seems to unravel and places weapons in the hands of farmers, workers, and students. It is an honour to walk alongside all ranks who are asked to do incredibly difficult things. In these moments, faith becomes a quiet companion, not a loud proclamation.

Edmund Oliver's story reminds us that even in the darkest times, there are those who choose to bring light. His work in the trenches was not just about survival—it was about nurturing hope and compassion in the midst of chaos.

The Hidden Weight of Service

During my recent Basic Military Officer Qualification (BMOQ) training this past summer, one of my Staff challenged us during a particularly low moment. They spoke of their brothers—two whom had served in Afghanistan—and urged us to hold each other up. That challenge reminded me of a colleague in the United Church of Canada, a Diaconal Minister, whose son served with Joint Task Force 2, one of the Canadian Armed Forces’ elite units.

What these individuals saw and did in that conflict are not things we readily talk about outside military circles. These choices were not glorious, nor were they meant to be wrapped in ceremony. They were tasks our Country asked of them. And too often, those who serve experience the rest of us choosing not to know.

Though there is always a reality for the need for secrecy regarding military action, the challenge is when it seems Canadian citizenry does not seem willing to understand what we ask of the military. This isolation—the burden of the call to serve—adds another layer of weight to their sacrifice.

The challenge to support one another, especially in hard times, is a powerful reminder of the strength found in community. We must remember that behind every uniform is a human story, often filled with pain, resilience, and quiet courage.

What Shall We Remember? Forget?

Feature: What Shall We Remember? Forget?

Family, Memory, and the Cost of War

My final recollection is of my four Great-Uncles, all of whom served as gunners on Lancaster Bombers during the Second World War. Miraculously, they all came back. Uncle Victor carried shrapnel near his heart until the day he died, decades later. That physical reminder of his service was a symbol of sacrifice that went far beyond the youthful zeal that once saw war as noble. Age tempers that idealism, replacing it with the wisdom to choose what we remember—and what we forget.

Their survival was a miracle, but their experiences left lasting marks. Uncle Victor's shrapnel was not just a medical condition—it was a story etched into his body, a testament to the cost of war. These stories remind us that war affects people long after the fighting ends.

A Warning from the Past

In 2025, I worry that the world is choosing to remember and forget different things about our relationship to the violence of war. We seem to favour narratives that divide us into “us” and “them.” This is a human temptation, one that the fifth-century BCE historian and general Thucydides warned against:

War is a matter not so much of arms as of money.

Most people, in fact, will not take the trouble in finding out the truth,
but are much more inclined to accept the first story they hear.

Some legislators only wish to vengeance against a particular enemy. Others only look out for themselves. They devote very little time on the consideration of any public issue. They think that no harm will come from their neglect. They act as if it is always the business of somebody else to look after this or that. When this selfish notion is entertained by all, the commonwealth slowly begins to decay.

A Call to Remember

We arrive at another Remembrance Day, a time fraught with tension and uncertainty. And I wonder how we will answer Creator when She asks:

Beloved, what have you decided to forget?
Beloved, what are you choosing to remember?

May we take time to truly listen to the stories of those who served. Let us honour their sacrifices not just with ceremonies, but with actions that promote peace and understanding. Let us teach the next generation about the importance of compassion, unity, and remembering the past so we continue to nurture a future that broaden Justice’s arc.

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