Chaplain

Our students have taken time out to reflect on the Armistice Day; the ceasing of hostilities at the end of World War I.  A group of our students sang and played at St Peter’s Anglican Church, serving the broader community with beautiful and reflective music that enriched the service. It was deeply appreciated by all and thanks goes to the students and staff who provided this music.

Our school then gathered on Tuesday for a Remembrance Service. We remembered and honoured the sacrifice of the men and women who served our country, particularly hearing about family members of Yr 11 students Lindsay McNeil and Mackenzie Lofts. There were also reflections about the 62,000 Australians who died, commemorated in a beautiful display outside The Australian War Memorial in Canberra. There is a large area of land divided into plots to represent each month of the war. Each plot has hand-knitted poppies, each representing a life lost in that month. It is a beautiful and moving sight. These men and women demonstrated a deep sense of duty to protect others and defend the principles of freedom and justice.

The Armistice Day was a day of hope. A day to celebrate the end of war, tainted with sadness at extraordinary loss of life and looking forward in the hope that this was the ‘war to end all wars’. We know that this was not to be the case. Today we still have conflict, we still deploy soldiers and we still long for peace. 

As I was reflecting on this, a student asked me why a God who is good, would not have intervened to stop the conflict. This is such a good question! God could have, and will intervene to bring the end to all conflicts, death and corruption of our world. This will happen when Jesus returns and it will herald the New Creation. God has chosen not to do so yet as there are still those he has deemed will be born. However, we also need to lay responsibility where it is due: people with pride, hate and selfishness cause the conditions that lead to war. Our armed forces enter into these situations to defend and bring justice. However, the real cause of war is broken and sinful hearts. To bring the longed for peace, hearts must be changed. God knows our deepest need is for our hearts to be changed. This is why God became human. Jesus, who was proclaimed as the Prince of Peace was the very one who would bring the means of healing hearts, bringing genuine reconciliation. He would provide the means to transform us from enemies to God’s friends and then bring unity to all humans. Only as our hearts are changed can we find genuine and lasting peace.

Ms Bronwyn Lihou
Senior Campus Chaplain
blihou@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9830