Universalis

Monday, 11 November 2013

11th Day of the 11th Month

Here we see Her Majesty The Queen laying her wreath at the Cenotaph in London.



At the first stroke of the 11th hour please do your best to keep silence for 2 minutes.

They shall grow not 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.

The silence over, before we pray for God's blessing, perhaps you would like to join me in singing the following hymn :

O valiant hearts who to your glory came
Through dust of conflict and through battle flame;
Tranquil you lie, your knightly virtue proved,
Your memory hallowed in the land you loved.

Proudly you gathered, rank on rank, to war
As who had heard God's message from afar;
All you had hoped for, all you had, you gave,
To save mankind — yourselves you scorned to save.

Splendid you passed, the great surrender made;
Into the light that nevermore shall fade;
Deep your contentment in that blest abode,
Who wait the last clear trumpet call of God.

Long years ago, as earth lay dark and still,
Rose a loud cry upon a lonely hill,
While in the frailty of our human clay,
Christ, our Redeemer, passed the self same way.

Still stands His Cross from that dread hour to this,
Like some bright star above the dark abyss;
Still, through the veil, the Victor's pitying eyes
Look down to bless our lesser Calvaries.

These were His servants, in His steps they trod,
Following through death the martyred Son of God:
Victor, He rose; victorious too shall rise
They who have drunk His cup of sacrifice.

O risen Lord, O Shepherd of our dead,
Whose cross has bought them and Whose staff has led,
In glorious hope their proud and sorrowing land
Commits her children to Thy gracious hand.



God grant to the living grace,
to the departed rest,
to the Church, the Queen, the
Commonwealth and all people,
unity, peace and concord,
and to us and all God’s servants,
life everlasting.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with us
and remain with us always. AMEN.


Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the Name of Christ. Amen.

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