April 22, 2026
As Australia pauses to mark ANZAC Day this Saturday, Army Chaplain and Uniting Church Minister Rev Matthew Stuart invites us into a space of remembrance shaped by honesty, lament and hope.
In a video message recorded for ANZAC Day (see below), Rev Stuart names the reality many feel but struggle to articulate. Ours is a time marked by violence, within homes, across communities and throughout the world. In such moments, prayer does not always come easily or neatly. Sometimes, he says, the truest prayer we can offer is lament: “Where are you, Lord?”
This cry echoes across the human experience – amid war and destruction, widening inequality, and the quiet suffering of those whose struggles seem unseen. Rather than turning away from these questions, Rev Stuart encourages us to bring them before God, trusting that even our anguish is heard.
He prompts us to turn our gaze towards Christ, the Shepherd and Prince of Peace, calling us to recognise God’s presence in unexpected places: in those who speak peace, in the lives of the poor, and in the hidden faces of Christ among us. In remembering the courage, sacrifice and humanity of those who served, we are invited not only to honour the past, but to be shaped by it.
He offers the following prayer:
We remember those who served defending freedom,
their bravery and dedication,
their commitment and humour,
their resourcefulness and hope.
We remember sailors, soldiers and aviators
and their loved ones who suffered
in times of quietness.
Some of us remember the sounds of battlefields,
the hopelessness of defeat, and the poverty of captivity.
We remember those buried in foreign shores
who paid the ultimate sacrifice for peace.
We remember Australians from Albany to Atherton,
from Balmain to Burnie,
from Geelong to Gawler.
We remember sons and daughters,
husbands and wives,
fathers and mothers who served in times of war.
Lord, we remember,
we honour,
and we are grateful to them.
May we strive for peace
in your name, Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Rev Stuart’s message and prayer reminds us that ANZAC Day is not only about memory, but about formation. As we honour those who served, we are called anew to be people who seek peace, embody compassion, and remain attentive to God’s presence, especially in a troubled world.
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