Listen, quiet —– It is O dark thirty, you hear the womp, womp, womp, sounds of helicopter blades beating through the night air, in the distance, getting closer, you jump up, struggle to put on you gear, clear your head…. What, who is it this time, how many……… a few of us here can maybe relate to this one of many scenarios.
Memorial Day is upon us, as we join our friends, families, and neighbors in observance of this national holiday, which is actually a holy day for some of us, we remember the heroic men and women of our armed forces who sacrificed their lives, so that we may live in conditions of liberty and freedom. Our gatherings over this Memorial Day weekend are rightful occasions for the celebration of freedom, and also for the solemn remembrance of those who have defended liberty with their lives.
Our reverencing of those who have departed this life is, thus, a collective act, which connects us ultimately to the mystical body of Christ, to the Savior of the world who paid for our freedom by His death on a Cross, “so that we would not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). In this sense, Memorial Day accords us the wonderful opportunity to affirm, through the sacrifice of Christ, that death has been overcome; and that He has granted us the joy of being in a lasting communion with our departed loved ones.
Please do not regard this day as a so called tribute to all who served in the military and just a day to party. However, think of this day as the one day a year we remember and honor those who paid the ultimate price, as Christ paid the ultimate price for our salvation. A few of members of our Parish, understand this sacrifice, and live daily with the memory of their friends, who did not return. This Memorial Day is dedicated to them!
May our communion with God be also strengthened through our memory of all those who have departed this life; and may the joy of the Risen Lord strengthen your hearts, nourish your souls, and renew your spirit on this Memorial Day and throughout the Paschal season, as we draw closer to one another in fellowship and in love.
Remember, my dear brothers and sisters, Christ is still king.
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