Being a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Memorial Day Weekend has grown in importance over the years.. Growing up it was always the last holiday that marked the end of the school and the beginning of summer vacation. I began boot camp in San Diego two days after Memorial Day and celebrated my first Memorial Day as a Marine in Beaufort South Carolina.
The first and greatest change in honoring those who have died in the service of our country, as a member of the military, is the solemnness that marks the day. There are other days throughout the year when historical and special events pertaining to the branch of service are given a special honor, but this day is held in deep respect and remembrance of the lives given in the protection of freedom and of our loved ones.
The death of a loved one is always life changing and the death of a son or daughter in war is at times even more difficult to understand. Listening to the stories of the men and women who walked as brothers and sisters with those who died serving and sacrificing is hearing the whispers of voices of hope coming alive once again. It is a moment to be reminded once more of the dignity of life but also its fragility and priceless worth of each life when bound in love. These stories told and shared take on a sacred nature.
We as followers of Jesus Christ understand and live this experience. It is standing with Jesus in suffering and sorrow, walking the way of the cross with Him that we are able to fully embrace and honor the sacrifice. I remember one night at work with the Gunnery Sargent in charge of the night maintenance crew shared about his first tour in Viet Nam that began days before the 1968 Tet Offensive. I sat listening, with my 19-year-old bravado, to the story of life and death and how his friends died or were maimed. The voice of love and honor, even twelve years after the event, were still apparent and changed my heart.
During this Jubilee Year of Mercy we are called to listen more carefully for the voice of God in our conversations and our actions with and towards others. In the shared experience found through the conversations of life our hearts are softened to hear how we are called to reach out, respond and be touched by the other in our life. As Pope Francis writes in Misericordiae Vultus, “In this Holy Year, we look forward to the experience of opening our hearts to those living on the outermost fringes of society: fringes which modern society itself creates. How many uncertain and painful situations there are in the world today! How many are the wounds borne by the flesh of those who have no voice because their cry is muffled and drowned out by the indifference of the rich!…Let us ward off destructive cynicism! Let us open our eyes and see the misery of the world, the wounds of our brothers and sisters…let us recognize that we are compelled to heed their cry for help! May we reach out to them and support them so they can feel the warmth of our presence, our friendship, and our fraternity…let us enter more deeply into the heart of the Gospel where the poor have a special experience of God’s mercy…Moreover, we will be asked if we have helped others to escape the doubt that causes them to fall into despair and which is often a source of loneliness.” (#16)
When we choose to remember with the heart of mercy we are more apt to hear God’s voice spoken in the memorial of life. Our call to serve is a call to be with and walk with the poor, the broken, the sorrowing. It is to be with one another where we share the burdens and seek to grow in unity through the memorial of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. I pray that you have a holy and wonderful Memorial Day Weekend.
Semper Fi–God Bless,
Fr. Mark