Praying in Ordinary Time 2021: 169, Remembrance Day windows

The East Window is one of two war memorials in Saint Mary’s Church, Tipperary, and commemorates three members of the Bell and Lyle families (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Patrick Comerford

Today is the Second Sunday before Advent and Remembrance Day. Later this morning (14 November 2021) I am presiding and preaching at the Parish Eucharist in Castletown Church near Pallaskenry, Co Limerick, and taking part in the Remembrance Day service in Holy Trinity Church, Rathkeale, Co Limerick.

Each morning in the time in the Church Calendar known as Ordinary Time, I am reflecting in these ways:

1, photographs of a church or place of worship;

2, the day’s Gospel reading;

3, a prayer from the USPG prayer diary.

As part of my reflections and my prayer diary, my photographs this morning (14 November 2021) are of Remembrance windows in a selection of churches.

Harry Clarke’s ‘The Madonna with Saints Aidan and Adrian’ (1919) … a war memorial window in Bride Street Church, Wexford (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

A prayer from Westminster Abbey:

May God grant
to the living grace,
to the departed rest,
to the Church and the World peace and concord,
and to us sinners eternal life.

The World War II window by Gerald ER Smith in Saint Editha’s Church, Tamworth, shows the Risen Christ in Glory and illustrates the canticle Te Deum (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Mark 13: 1-8 (NRSVA):

1 As he [Jesus] came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’ 2 Then Jesus asked him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.’

3 When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, 4 ‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?’ 5Then Jesus began to say to them, ‘Beware that no one leads you astray. 6 Many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and they will lead many astray. 7 When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. 8For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.’

The war memorial window in the High School, Dublin, originally in the school chapel in Harcourt Street, Dublin (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

The Prayer in the USPG Prayer Diary today (14 November 2021, Remembrance Sunday, Second Sunday before Advent) invites us to pray:

Peaceful God,
May we take refuge in you.
Let us trust and care for each other,
pursuing peace and justice
in place of war and conflict.

Saint George in a war memorial window by James Powell & Sons in Saint Fachtna’s Cathedral, Rosscarbery, Co Cork (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2021)

Yesterday’s reflection

Continued tomorrow

The World War II memorial window by Henry Holiday depicting Christ the King in Saint Editha’s Church, Tamworth (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition copyright © 1989, 1995, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org

The Maurice Peel war memorial window in Saint Editha’s Church, Tamworth, depicts Life, Death and Resurrection (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)