Memorial Day 2025

05/25/2025

John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

Tomorrow is Memorial Day; a day in which we remember and honor those in the military who have given their lives for our nation. Like most other holidays, Memorial Day was born out of solemn intention – to provide an earnest, unified opportunity for Americans to honor, mourn, and remember those who gave their lives in military service. The holiday emerged in the aftermath of the Civil War, which claimed more American lives than any other conflict and led to the establishment of the nation’s first national cemeteries.

The holiday began as Decoration Day. The earliest observances involved communities across the country—North and South, Black and White—coming together in the spring to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers and to recite prayers. This practice symbolized a collective act of mourning, respect, and gratitude for the sacrifices made by those who died in service to their country.

It has evolved over the years, and our memories have expanded. Today we remember too, the families of the fallen. We not only remember the soldiers of all the armed forces, but also the police, firefighters, and other civil service personnel, as well as the civilians who have paid the highest price to make and keep this country safe. We also remember those individuals in our lives who have given of themselves on our behalf. They have contributed to the betterment of this country, as well as our lives.

But Memorial Day is fundamentally a day to honor and remember the men and women of the U.S. military who died while serving their country. Their ultimate sacrifice embodies the highest virtues of patriotism, courage, and selflessness. Though the world around us marks this as a long weekend, a time for barbecues and the unofficial start of summer, we gather in this sacred space to look deeper, to remember with sincere gratitude those who gave their lives in service to our country, and ultimately for our benefit.

God calls us to remember. In John 15:13 Jesus tells us, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” On Memorial Day we remember those who embodied this profound love. They laid down their lives, not for strangers in a vague sense, but for their friends, their families, their communities, for the ideals they believed would protect and preserve the nation they loved. Each of these individuals was a son or daughter, mother or father, friend, aunt, or uncle. Their willingness to pay the supreme price echoes the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Freedom is never free. The soldier who falls on the battlefield or in the jungle, the airman lost in the skies, the sailor consumed by the sea, the Marine who gives their all – they demonstrate a love that costs everything. It is a love that confronts us with its sheer selflessness. While we grieve their loss, we also honor the depth of their commitment.

Throughout scripture, God repeatedly calls His people to remember. In Joshua 4:6-7 we are told that after the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River, the Israelites were commanded to take twelve stones from the middle of the riverbed and set them up as a memorial. God says, “… so that this may be a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord ... These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

Remembering is important and Memorial Day is our nation's collection of memorial stones. The flags and flowers placed on graves, the playing of Taps, the solemn ceremonies – these are our reminders. They are our way of ensuring that future generations understand the price of their freedom. It is our sacred duty to tell the stories, to speak the names, to ensure that the sacrifices made are not forgotten in the passage of time or the business of our lives.

Remembering is not simply a nostalgic act. It is an active process that shapes our present and our future. It informs our gratitude, deepens our resolve to protect what was so dearly bought, and fuels our prayers for peace.

While we honor the valor of our fallen, our hearts as Children of God also yearn for a world where such sacrifices are no longer necessary. Isaiah 2:4 paints a beautiful picture of this hope: “He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.”

This is the ultimate peace that God promises, a peace that transcends the fragile truces and temporary ceasefires of our world. Although this last decade has been devoid of major wars, since 2014 we have still lost nearly 120 U.S. soldiers. On Memorial Day, as we remember the conflicts that have cost so many lives, our prayers must also be for the coming of this divine peace.

We honor the fallen best not by glorifying war, but by diligently working and praying for a world where conflict gives way to reconciliation, and where the instruments of war are transformed into tools of creation and sustenance. Our remembrance today should stir within us a renewed commitment to be peacemakers in our own lives, in our communities, and in our world, guided by the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.

For those who have lost loved ones in service, the pain can be immense and enduring. I understand that Memorial Day can reopen those wounds. But as Children of God, we cling to a powerful hope, a promise that extends beyond this earthly life. In Revelation 21:4, John gives us a glimpse of God’s ultimate victory over mistakes, death, and suffering: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

This is the hope that sustains us. For those who died, and for those who grieve them, there is the promise of a future where sorrow will cease, where every tear will be wiped away, and where reunion with God and with one another will be complete. This ultimate hope does not diminish the pain of present loss, but it provides a comforting look ahead, a steadfast assurance that sacrifice and suffering do not have the final word.

Memorial Day has become a complex day, and it is not primarily about barbecues, picnics, car races, and mattress sales; it is about honoring those who paid the ultimate price. Memorial Day is about remembering, and then dedicating our own lives to a larger, greater good for those we love, for our nation, and the planet.

So, it is my prayer, that on this day we remember with purpose; let us remember with gratitude, thanking God for the courage and sacrifice of those who have defended our freedoms. Let us remember with resolve, committing ourselves to being faithful stewards of the peace they sought to secure. Let us remember with hope, looking forward to that day when God’s perfect peace will reign, and all mourning will turn to everlasting joy.

Let us remember them all, every individual who gave their life on our behalf; every soldier, every civil servant, every individual who has made a difference in our lives.  It is my prayer that our remembrances inspire us to live in gratitude and accept our responsibilities as a Child of God and as a Good Shepherd to love each other, serve each other, respect each other, and give thanks for everyone who has contributed to our present good.

Wishing you a reflective and respectful Memorial Day.