Armistice Day, now Veterans Day

[Michael Slusser]

The news has been showing Remembrance Sunday observances in England. That led me to look up the story of that morning of November 11, when at 11:00 a.m. hostilities ceased. The story is not without its tragic aspects:
https://www.armytimes.com/veterans/salute-veterans/2017/11/10/nov-11-1918-wasted-lives-on-armistice-day/


American forces weren’t alone in launching assaults on the last day. The British high command, still stinging from its retreat at Mons during the first days of the war in August 1914, judged that nothing could be more appropriate than to retake the city on the war’s final day. British Empire losses on November 11 totaled some twenty-four hundred. The French commander of the 80th Régiment d’Infanterie received two simultaneous orders that morning: one to launch an attack at 9 a.m., the other to cease fire at 11. Total French losses on the final day amounted to an estimated 1,170.

The Germans, in the always-perilous posture of retreat, suffered some 4,120 casualties. Losses on all sides that day approached eleven thousand dead, wounded, and missing.

Indeed, Armistice Day exceeded the ten thousand casualties suffered by all sides on D-Day, with this difference: The men storming the Normandy beaches on June 6, 1944, were risking their lives to win a war. The men who fell on November 11, 1918, lost their lives in a war that the Allies had already won.


Peace,
Michael

[Pr. Terry Culler]

As a former enlisted man I can only shake my head and weep at the evil visited on the guys in the trenches/foxholes/sand dunes by those who ought to know better.  Since the WWII generation is no longer governing our nation our troops are being sent into danger by people who have never, themselves been in danger and whose children have (as former VP Cheney said of himself and not serving) "better things to do".

[J. Thomas Shelley]

And a tragic irony is that on the 11th day of the 11th month the Western church commemorates Martin the soldier; who drew his sword solely for the purpose of cleaving his cloak in order to give shelter to a shivering beggar.

We know him as Martin, Bishop of Tours.

[John_Hannah]

And a tragic irony is that on the 11th day of the 11th month the Western church commemorates Martin the soldier; who drew his sword solely for the purpose of cleaving his cloak in order to give shelter to a shivering beggar.

We know him as Martin, Bishop of Tours.

Is that the reason they chose St. Martin's Day for the armistice?

Peace, JOHN

[J.L. Precup]

And a tragic irony is that on the 11th day of the 11th month the Western church commemorates Martin the soldier; who drew his sword solely for the purpose of cleaving his cloak in order to give shelter to a shivering beggar.

We know him as Martin, Bishop of Tours.

Is that the reason they chose St. Martin's Day for the armistice?

Peace, JOHN

When Hans Luther took his son to be baptised the day after his son's birth, the child was given the name of the Saint remembered on 11 November...Martin.

[J. Thomas Shelley]

The Orthodox Church commemorated Martin of Tours today.   I suspect his Commemoration was moved from November 11 to avoid conflicting with Menas the Wonder-worker.

Here is the list for November 11:

    Menas of Egypt
    Victor and Stephanie
    Theodore the Studite
    Holy Martyr Vincent

Like Martin, Menas was a soldier.

Saint Menas, who had Egypt as his fatherland, contested in Cotyaeion of Phrygia in 296 during the reign of Diocletian and Maximian. A soldier distinguished for his valour in war, he renounced his rank and withdrew to devote himself to ascetical struggles and prayer in the mountains. Filled with zeal and more than human courage, he presented himself in the midst of a pagan festival in Cotyaeion and declared himself to be a Christian. After terrible torments which he endured with astonishing courage, he was beheaded.

His martyrium in Egypt became a place of universal pilgrimage; evidence of ancient journeys to his shrine have been found as far away as Ireland. The glory and refuge of the Christians of Egypt, he has been revealed to be a worker of great miracles and a swift defender for all who call on him with faith; besides all else, he is also invoked for help in finding lost objects.

Menas is one of the five soldier-saints specifically named during the Intercession at every Orthros.   The others are George the trophy-bearer, Demitrios the Myrrh-streaming, Theodore the Commander and Theodore the recruit.

[Rev. Edward Engelbrecht]

We invited our vets to stand for recognition, worked them into the sermon, children's message, prayers, and sang Onward Christian Soldiers as closing hymn, O Beautiful for Spacious Skies in Sunday School. In the past, they have processed with flags, a practice I would like to reintroduce. Blessed service today.

[Dave Likeness]

Today, reminded me of my vicarage year in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.

It was the second Sunday in May, and my supervisor pastor stepped into the pulpit
and began with these words:  "Today, is a preacher's dilemma.  It is Mother's Day,
Pentecost, and Armed Forces Sunday.  However, I will do my best to work them all
into the sermon."

[Michael Slusser]

If there aren't two minutes of silence where you are, you can piggyback on these:
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-50376339/armistice-day-two-minute-silence-held-for-those-who-died-in-conflict

Peace,
Michael

[Linda]

Rejoicing!  Family member who was serving in Turkey has returned.

Linda