devotion to the military cemetery in the garden of the German ambassador in Tarabya
Dear sisters and brothers, Rev.
as Korten told me to stop here on the site of the German Embassy a devotion, as was the church provided below next to the summer residence for it. But which is being renovated, and now we are up here at the simple wooden cross on the cemetery. As more comes to the mood of the people's mourning day. What are the fallen soldiers from the 1st World War II that are here. Are they heroes or victims?
I quote some verses from the 27th Psalm:
The Lord is my light and my Salvation
of whom shall I fear?
The Lord is my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
When an army superimposed against me, so afraid
nevertheless not my heart;
if war rises against me, so I
leave me for him.
One thing I ask of the Lord, I would have liked:
that I could stay in the house of the Lord all my life,
Lord, hear my voice when I cry
be merciful to me and answer me!
Hide thy face from me,
, and do not hand me down, God, my Savior!
as Lord, I
your way and lead me on level track.
Once again the Question: hero or victim?
I remember the first Worship service on Memorial Day as a young priest in my village community in the Spessart. Almost 40 years ago was. There were mainly two groups in worship and then on to the commemoration Ehrenmahl.
one hand, stood very erect the veterans. They thought of the fallen comrades who were probably more heroes for them. They said yes by the heroic and sometimes even from the Heroes' Day. in my predecessors as well - - glad you had at the end of the worship song of the good comrades of the organ part. The match I could not, for the organist played "O bleeding head wounds."
and then were there - more of a little bent - the war widows and also some of their parents. I did not feel that they moved the thought of heroes and heroic death.
you still felt the deep loss. They had made sacrifices, were themselves - or at least the husbands and fathers - have become victims.
And again the question that arises with particular attention to military cemeteries and to honor grinding. What are these fallen soldiers: heroes or victims?
And where is God? Its sign is the cross that looms here as impressive in its simplicity. God is always with the victims and will end up a victim himself. Caught between the fronts where the heroes behave. If God Make peace, he produced no victims - he sacrifices himself That is the other way. The Way of Christ. He is the absolutely non-violent hero. He knows - and this is reflected in Gethsemane: Who is heroism demonstrated by force, which also produces always victims.
In the Old Testament, the coming Savior, who is also the suffering Son of God. named with the following titles: God -, Everlasting Father - Prince of Peace. If
because the cross of Christ on the military cemeteries taken seriously and not just a decorative accessory, then soldiers' graves are the greatest preachers of peace. A peace that does not need any more victims. The Christ on the cross forgives his enemies and lavishes them with no hatred. And a desperate offenders, he takes with him into the middle of paradise. The talks like and acts, dear brothers and sisters, is the hero and the Prince of Peace.
We pray to the Prince of Peace:
To your strength to the peace we ask, good God
We recognize with gratitude that among us are people
- influential and unknown - bridge,
the tensions
not stop the deal,
looking everywhere for peace.
To your strength for peace, we ask, good God
To the courage to face all the
think of violent solutions
the drive with thoughts of war, their game, by playing down the
interesting descriptions of the war.
Ask for your strength for peace, we, good God
If we are even more aware,
where we - individually and as a German - are taking root,
where insecurity led to their own convictions us to
in dissent enemies to see.
Ask for your strength for peace, we, good God
That we do not forget the terrible consequences of wars
or conceal;
that we advocate for the Disabled, and Deranged,
for the victims of divisive borders,
for minorities and refugees -
that we understand and take amongst us.
Ask for your strength for peace, we, good God.
Our Father
blessing
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