Monday, May 26, 2014

Reverie on Memorial Day Morning

From the 1928 Book of Common Prayer:
ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, in whose hands are the living and the dead; We give thee thanks for all those thy servants who have laid down their lives in the service of our country. Grant to them thy mercy and the light of thy presence, that the good work which thou hast begun in them may be perfected; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen.
Many are off this Monday morning, enjoying a beautiful day here in Suburbia Majora.  Coolers are full of ice, the sunscreen is packed, and the kids are frolicking at the pool after a winter that seemed to border on Ragnarök.  Enjoy this day and the freedom to revel in the late spring beauty that this day promises to deliver.  But I'd ask you to pause and reflect.

Many don't notice that our flags this morning are at half mast.  The flying of our flag in this position has been debased by the current president who ordered it flown in this manner for a crack-addled pop star, but it still holds a much deeper significance.  This is a gesture of national mourning, mourning for a fallen hero or leader.  

Today, we pause for the barefooted soldier who fell at Valley Forge, for the Virginia Cadet who gave his all at New Market, and for the Iowa farm boy breathed his last on Omaha Beach.  We remember that young man who chose service over dishonor only to step on a boobytrap on patrol outside of Hue, and the daughter who's life was abruptly ended by an IED in Fallujah.

Remember them.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Anglican deacon and electronics technician. Wow, that's the first time I've ever seen such strange titles in one sentence with regard to one man. Hahaha. One tends to forget that men of God have to make a living too.