It is rare to come across an empty road during the normal day. This year on 11th November I was driving to a meeting in the West Midlands and realised that if I wanted to stop for 2 minutes at 11:00 my place of remembrance would be Corley Services on the M6. My experience there was refreshing and interesting.
At 11am everything fell silent. Staff and customers alike were quiet and almost everyone stood in the main concourse; strangers to one another spanning the spectra of age, occupation, background and reason for travel. The full two minutes elapsed and gradually the usual business of the place resumed.
I noticed one thing. There were only one or two people who seemed to disregard completely the moment and the respectful silence of the majority. They were none of the groups whose stereotypes I would usually associate with not understanding, not knowing or not caring what it was about. They were people of my age, unable to leave their phones, coffee and cake just for two minutes and join the usually noisy people in their act of respect. And they were not businesspeople either…nor were they men…
I am not sure of the dynamic of Remembrance in such a public place but what I learned on 11th November this year is that it is not always the people we expect to care who do care.
This weekend the liturgical year draws to its close and we remember all that happened between Advent and Pentecost. We celebrate ‘Christ the King’ but who cares? Who cares what Sunday it is as long as life goes on in its usual way? Who cares – we may be surprised and find it is not the people who turn up physically but the unknown crowd who think as they live and just occasionally, unknown to one another, join in a common cause.
A Prayer
Lord, help me reflect on when I last showed that I really cared about something or when I last respected the meaning of a moment for the majority. Save me from my own busyness, pettiness and self-centredness. As we head into the season of Advent once again, may we think about what God gave up for us and question how much we care and change for God in response. Christ the King, you reign over all things and are to be worshipped for ever; give me the grace to care so you can care for me. Amen