Memorial Day Remembrances

[agnes88]

For peace, so that our soldiers won't need to go to battle

[Lil Red]

[quote name='dominicansoul' post='1873823' date='May 23 2009, 08:32 AM'][img]http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh165/hamburgerpatty_2008/pow-mia_flag.jpg[/img]

for those who suffered imprisonment by the hands of the enemy, and for those whose fates were never known...

(look at the number of missing/POW soldiers from WWII!) [/quote]
+J.M.J.+
for my grandmother, who suffered for years because they didn't find my uncle's body until the 90s.

[Theologian in Training]

Thank you for this thread and giving me homily ideas. I don't know anyone, close to me, in the armed forces, but I commend them all. I offer my homily as my "remembrance."

____________________

In our Gospel today, Jesus reminds us of a simple fact, peace, true, everlasting peace can be found in Him. “I have told you this,” He says, “so that you might have peace in me.” Ours is a life that desires peace, the absence of conflict and the coming together as one.

Unfortunately, people being people, that does not always happen and so our peace, our very liberties are often threatened, the freedoms we enjoy seen as a luxury and not a right.

So there are those who make sure that we can enjoy that freedom, there are those who make the ultimate sacrifice of laying down their very lives for their country and for us, leaving behind their family, their friends, everything they know for our sake, knowing that, as the famous saying goes, freedom is not free.

That is why today we are called to a collective remembrance, a Memorial Day so that no one will be forgotten, that all veterans, living, deceased, and unknown will be known, and so that their names will become for us a beacon of hope, knowing what they risk and have risked for our sake and for our freedom.

For some, they are our sons, our daughters, our fathers and our mothers in the midst of war, enduring countless hardships and pain, for our benefit and for our safety.

All military personnel are required to go by the Code of Conduct of the American Armed Forces. It has six articles that deal with how to act in combat to evade capture or how to act as a prisoner of war. This is Article I.

Article I: I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.

Therefore, let us pray for them this day, let us remember them always and pray

Gracious Father, we ask Your blessing upon all those who have died serving their country and defending our freedom. We know that their names are written in the palm of your hand, and that you know each of them by name. Be near them now as they come to you, and grant consolation and solace to all of their families who grieve for them and will always hold them close to their hearts.

Call all those now in greatest need, protect them, and give them the strength and courage to persevere. May you continue to bless them and all veterans throughout the world, so that those both living and deceased may be counted among Your worthy servants who offered not just their service but the entirety of their lives for us and for all those whom they protect.

We ask this in the name in the name of our Almighty Father and in Jesus Christ, our Prince of Peace.

[url="http://lordifyouwilldaily.blogspot.com/"]http://lordifyouwilldaily.blogspot.com/[/url]

Edited May 25, 2009 by Theologian in Training

[BG45]

My uncle's father was saved from being remembered today for giving his life, because on the island of Iwo Jima, his company head learned that he could type. Most of the men who went out on the patrols he was supposed to, would die...

Rather than list a personal litany of names, because I'm not quite up to it...enjoy a video? [url="http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=7658928"]An interview with Frank Buckles, 108 years old, the final veteran of World War One in the United States.[/url]

Great homily Fr.

[Groo the Wanderer]

For my bestest buddy SMSgt Ramiro Ramirez, who is now riding his Harley through streets paved with gold. Pray for me Ro...we'll hook up again like old times when I get there too. I love you man!


God Bless!