This is Memorial Day weekend. For many it’s just the unofficial first day of Summer, a time to picnic and play. The holiday began after the Civil War that torn these United States apart. With great sorrow, families visited the graves of those whose lives were taken by that blood-soaked conflict. They brought flowers and flags and thus the first name of the day was Decoration Day. After the first Great War, Decoration Day morphed into a time to remember who those who perished in our nation's wars. Today we call it - Memorial Day.
I hope you will remember and not just the sanitized images of flags and soldiers marching in parade in their neat uniforms! Remember the blood and pain, the huge cost in life and material, that this worst enterprise of humanity brings. We have become almost numb to war. Few of us consciously are aware that these United States have been at war for eight long years, the longest war in our history. Perhaps if we paid more attention to that fact, we would pressure our politicians to stop feeding the war machine.
My comments are not in any way meant to diminish the service of our soldiers. I am so grateful for those who serve voluntarily, and at great cost to themselves and their families. I pray that my life is lived in a way that is worthy of their sacrifice. As we remember, we must give thanks to God for this wonderful nation. We must give thanks for the freedoms we enjoy. We must appreciate that we do not live under tyranny because of those who were willing to fight to defend our liberties. But, we must also be true children of God who are known to love and seek peace. And, pray for peace!
Fifty years ago, America’s President, Dwight Eisenhower, a man who had commanded the Allied armies in Europe, issued a warning largely forgotten today. He was a prophet who saw with great clarity the terrible danger of mixing commerce and war. He knew that a strong military presence was a deterrent to those who would attack a nation, but he also knew that the temptation to use that army would be driven, in part, at least, by the greed of those who could profit from war. On this Memorial Day, every citizen should read his words and weep.
"A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be might, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction. . . . American makers of plowshares could, with time and as required, make swords as well. But now we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense; we have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. . . . This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. . . .Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. . . . In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist."
The word from the Word for today reminds us of our true calling.
“If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good.
Search for peace, and work to maintain it. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.” (1 Peter 3:10-12, NLT)
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9, NIV)
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