Memorial Day: A salute to the United States of America

When I was at the seminary in Rome, I had the opportunity to visit military cemeteries at places like Anzio, Monte Cassino, Omaha Beach and others.  We have Arlington and Gettysburg in our own country.  One cannot stand among the tens of thousands of rows of white crosses and not be greatly moved – they stand as a testimony to the tremendous sacrifices made by men and women in every age – sacrifices that preserved for us the gift of our freedom and the values we cherish as Americans. I remember today the words of President Abraham Lincoln as he dedicated the cemetery at Gettysburg “there is nothing we can do to dedicate or hallow this ground; it has already been consecrated by the sacrifice of those slain in defense of freedom and the ideals of this great nation.”

Memorial Day calls us to remember and celebrate the gift of our great nation – but a nation that is great because of what constitutes our core beliefs –the sanctity of every human  life, the freedom to worship as we choose, the pursuit of happiness, and the responsibility to care for others, especially those in need.  These are the values that come only with a price.  It is all too easy for people today to forget or to judge history by present standards.  Many today find it acceptable to desecrate the American flag – the great symbol of Independence and our great nation.  Many are trying to remove God and any notion of faith from our country - the protection of which  that the founding fathers enshrined in our Constitution and Bill of Rights.  Of course, we are not perfect and our flaws and failings must always be seen as cause for striving to become what we should be.   It is far easier to criticize and tear apart than it is to roll up our sleeves and work for the ideals that we believe in.  How sad it is today in our country that so much hatred, partisanship and division has blinded so many people to the cherished values and dreams that has made America great.  We cannot allow anyone to tear apart our country and we reaffirm what our founding fathers make so clear:  We are one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

The United States of America is a great nation, a land of freedom and opportunity for so many, a country that has helped bring democracy and kindness to every part of the world.  We have defended freedom and have fought for what is right, true and just.  We must never forget but have long memories.  On this Memorial Day we call to mind and pray for all who gave their lives in serving our country and for all veterans who have now gone to their eternal rest.   These are the great heroes of our nation and they command our respect, appreciation and gratitude.

The Gospel today reminds us of the gift of the Holy Spirit that has been poured out on the Church and on all believers by the Risen Christ, the Advocate who guides and helps us to remain faithful to the Lord.  But it is a gift given so we might serve God with courage and with generous love.  We are called, as those first believers, to build a world that reflects God’s Kingdom, a world that defends human life, that cares for the poor, that extends compassion to those in need, that forgives others, and that helps to make more present in our world the Kingdom of God.

Pursuing righteousness and justice requires fortitude and sacrifice.  We decorate graves today of those who served the values and ideals of our cherished way of life, many of them rooted in our Christian faith. But we do this not only for the dead but for the living – we can never forget their sacrifice and pray that we will be inspired to offer our lives in selfless love each day in bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to others and living out our faith with joy and courage each day.

Happy Memorial Day!