“Immanuel” – God with us veterans of the past and present

by Harold Ristau

You have probably heard the story about the series of temporary truces between British and French allies and German troops along the Western Front of World War I, around Christmas of 1914. The thought-provoking French film, Joyeux Noël, is a worthwhile watch. Now, these soldiers who decided – behind the backs of the higher echelons of the Chain of Command – to ceasefire in order to exchange Christmas gifts with their enemies weren’t pacifists. Even those who didn’t believe in the war, or understand its complexities, were still patriotic and believed themselves to be fighting for their country and the common good. But that is not the only thing that they had in common. They also believed that there were bigger notions in life that mattered, such as a brotherhood that united them rather than divided them.

The same God who had become flesh, remained with them, through His Holy Word and Sacrament. And we veterans of today also, though we have survived more current wars, have our own challenges with which we battle, alone and yet together.

Even more than that, they shared a common faith: faith in God, and, for the soldiers of those three nations, a faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And this is why it is significant that these ceasefires happened at Christmas. Soldiers took a break from their killing to celebrate the Christmas message together, before being ordered back to the front lines, and commencing their firing.

It is as tragic as it is heroic as these new friends went back to laying down their lives for others, even as Christ did for us – a tiny re-enactment of the Gospel story. After all, the One in whom they had faith, Jesus the Christ says “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends…” (John 15:13-14a). And that is precisely what Jesus does in bringing salvation to the nations. “For unto us a child is born…. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”. (Isaiah 9:6). Born in manger to die on cross to forgive the sins of all humankind, the Lord of peace cleanses away all that which separates us from a relationship with God.

The horrific consequences of the war that man caused with God and with one another is borne by Christ Crucified, where our sinful selves are slain with Christ and buried with Him. So we rise with Christ to new life, leaving sin behind as we enter into eternal communion with God. Although we had declared war with God, God has made peace with us in an eternal ceasefire: all through the coming of God into the flesh – (“Immanuel” means “God with us”) – and abiding among us.

It is as tragic as it is heroic as these new friends went back to laying down their lives for others, even as Christ did for us – a tiny re-enactment of the Gospel story.

Jesus was with those soldiers then, in their trenches, taking many of them to heaven with him. And yet He also remained present with all of the survivors. After all, when victory occurs and peace is established between nations, this has little to do with the personal victories or disappointments experienced by individual soldiers who did the fighting.

All of those WWI veterans shared similar struggles, wounds and grief with each other, their enemies, and even with all veterans today, abroad or at home. They shared personal crises, feelings and challenges that is only common among soldiers who have suffered. Many of those men and women who were now heroes, came back with new problems, battles at home, and wars within, as their families had changed: spouses sometimes left them, kids no longer knew them. But Jesus was with them.

The same God who had become flesh, remained with them, through His Holy Word and Sacrament. And we veterans of today also, though we have survived more current wars, have our own challenges with which we battle, alone and yet together. No body ever comes back the same. Veterans always take a little bit of that war with them, even to the grave. And the same Lord Jesus now risen from the grave, remains with us; a friendship and camaraderie sealed with the very blood of God. What divides the world is surpassed by what unites us all, when we fix our eyes upon God’s love, mercy and grace.

In His birth and His death, we find our hope, comfort and peace in all that He Has gifted us in His manger and His cross. In name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

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Rev. Dr. Harold Ristau serves as Associate Professor at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (St. Catharines, Ontario). As both a parish pastor and military chaplain, Ristau has ministered in various multicultural settings providing pastoral ministry and crisis counselling in unique contexts. He is an author of a wide range of books, including At Peace with War: A Chaplain’s Meditations from Afghanistan, which received a CDS commendation for its benefits as a training tool in preparing military personnel both mentally and spiritually for overseas deployments. He has also written extensively on spiritual warfare and spiritual resilience.