Anzac Day - 25 April 2023

‘The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
The Lord utters his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
Come, behold the works of the Lord;
see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth.”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah’ (Psalm 46)

Every 25 April throughout my childhood, I attended the Anzac Day morning marches in my hometown. It was a great honour to be one of the Boy Scouts who, along with selected Girl Guides, were assigned to carry the standards for battalions, regiments or other services represented in the march that day.

Every Anzac Day we try to strike the right balance in our commemorations. As we remember and give thanks for acts of courage and sacrifice in war, we also remember the lives tragically cut short, the horror and terror, the depravity, the destruction, the suffering and grief, and the damaged bodies and minds of survivors.

In our church’s 1987 Statement on War, our General Synod declared,
‘The church realises that in a conflict-ridden world, wars are initiated as a result of greed, rivalry, suspicion, lust for power, etc. Against such evils and their disastrous consequences, the church raises its warning and pleading voice. The church urges governments and warring factions to seek peace rather than war. It warns nations against violation of the principles of justice, so that the common good of all people may be secured.’ (DSTO Vol 1:H)

The primary focus of our annual Anzac Day memorials in New Zealand and Australia is to remember and give thanks for members of our Defence Forces, especially for those who have served their nation and died in the line of duty. This focus is exemplified by The Ode:

          ‘They shall not grow 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.’

A secondary focus is to acknowledge the sacrifices and often the pain of families of those who have served in military campaigns. This includes those who have lost loved ones, as well as acknowledging the burdens of those who live with and care for people with experiences of war.

Eric Bogle’s well-known song And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda, which he wrote at the height of the Vietnam War, recounts the memories of a Gallipoli veteran who lost both his legs when a shell exploded near him. Bogle stressed that the song was not ‘anti-soldier’ but spoke against any romanticising or idealising of war. Another song in the same vein was Redgum’s I Was Only 19. Many movies have been produced with this same message.

So, each year on 25 April, we remember. As we strive to strike that balance in our commemorations, we ask the Lord to keep us focused on what serves the common good of all the peoples of the world. Let us pray.

A prayer for Anzac Day Commemoration

Risen Lord and King, Jesus Christ, you laid down your life so that we might live. We remember those who died serving in the armed forces of our nation. Preserve our nation in peace, and in times of war give your people strength and courage to defend the cause of justice even if it may cost us our lives. For you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

We pray for:

• Leaders faced with difficult decisions regarding national defence and the deployment of Defence Force personnel.
• Members of our Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces and their families, and the chaplains and other pastoral care workers who serve alongside them.
• An end to hostility in the many conflict zones around the world, including conflicts we tend not to hear about, and people working for justice and peace.
• For people affected by war and for people who come to their aid.

Right now, there is continuing media attention on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine between Russian and Ukrainian forces. In your praying for freedom from conflict and war, please remember the many conflicts and threats of conflict around the world including:

• Myanmar
• Ethiopia
•  Iran
• Yemen
• Somalia
• Syria
• Israel, Gaza and Lebanon
• Sudan

Pastor Paul Smith
Churchwide Bishop
Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand
Adelaide, Tuesday 18 April 2023

(Bishop Paul and his wife Heidi attend the annual Dawn Service at the National War Memorial on North Terrace in Adelaide.)

For more on Anzac Day customs and traditions, see the Australian War Memorial website, for information about
·         The Last Post
·         laying of wreaths
·         the recitation (including The Ode)
·         The Rouse and Reveille
·         The Unknown Soldier and more.

Information about more symbols of Anzac commemoration can be found here at the Department of Veterans Affairs Anzac Portal.