We celebrate Memorial Day as a nation this Monday. On this day, we remember in a special way, those men and women in the armed forces who have made the supreme sacrifice in defense of our nation. We pray for the repose of their souls, and for all those who mourn their passing from this world. Many of them died in wars and terrorist attacks. Some were military chaplains who faithfully served the spiritual needs of our men and women in the armed forces, and also served the spiritual needs of their families. They all sacrificed their lives and their freedom and helped make it possible for us to enjoy our lives and our freedom.
These men and women were prematurely separated from family members and friends, and a grateful nation pays them homage and respect. The following “Prayer for Memorial Day” is provided
by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops:
God of power and mercy,
you destroy war and put down earthly pride.
Banish violence from our midst and wipe away our tears,
that we may all deserve to be called your sons and daughters.
Keep in your mercy those men and women
who died in the cause of freedom
and bring them safely into your kingdom of justice and peace.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
As we reflect on this prayer, we are reminded to truly appreciate our precious faith and freedom which we should never take for granted. This is especially important in these difficult and uncertain times when we have witnessed dramatic changes in the fabric of our society and our world over the last few years. These changes were due primarily to the wars in Ukraine and Israel, tensions with Russia, China and other nations; concerns over immigration policies, and a rapid increase in crime and illegal drugs in many of our large cities and even in many of our small rural areas. Such changes have caused us to view our faith and our freedom in a different light and made us more acutely aware of the reality that there are events and circumstances beyond our control.
As we consider these changes, and as we celebrate this day and take time for relaxation and recreation, we are encouraged to also make time for prayer. We can join our brothers and sisters who pray for the repose of the souls of these men and women who have gone before us. In addition, we can pray for stability in our nation, and we can continue to pray for peace in our world, peace in our homes, and peace in our hearts.