Yesterday we celebrated Anzac Day, in honour and remembrance of the Australian and New Zealander soldiers who landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey on April 25, 1915, as well as all who have served in the armed forces since then. More than a century later, Anzac Day is now our most widely observed national holiday alongside Australia Day. Almost every Australian knows the words to the Ode of Remembrance, has eaten an Anzac biscuit, and has the sound of the bugler playing The Last Post etched into their memory.
But why do we care so much about Anzac Day? As Christians, it seems strange to celebrate a day in honour of soldiers. After all, we are called to peace (Matthew 5:9), forgiveness (Ephesians 4:32), and love for our enemies (Matthew 5:44), and we pray for an end to all wars. The answer is that in celebrating Anzac Day, we are not celebrating war, but the Anzacs’ character: their courage, loyalty and willingness to sacrifice themselves for their loved ones. As our Lord puts it: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)
As we observe Anzac Day, therefore, let’s reflect on the self-sacrificial love that defines the Anzac spirit. How might we show that same kind of love in our own daily lives? And above all, let’s be reminded of the One who showed the greatest love of all by sacrificing Himself for all people. Jesus is the “true” Anzac who deserves all our honour and celebrations.
James.