Memorial Day, 2023

[Jesus said] “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13 ESV).

 

Memorial Day was first celebrated in Waterloo, New York. It is here that the most people assign the birthplace of this holiday. Of course, it is a somber holiday in that it honors the sacrifices made by thousands of service members who have given their lives to preserve the freedom, peace, and future of our nation. There are thousands of heroic stories that can be shared on this day. These are stories of lives cut short and families losing spouses, siblings, children, and parents. The losses have been enormous, and the freedom that has been preserved is priceless. 

 

I remember vividly my first introduction of such heroism when I attended Texas A&M and walked into the Memorial Student Center for the first time. In keeping with the university’s long-established custom of remembrance, showing respect to those who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces is observed throughout the year, not just on Memorial Day. Perhaps the largest visual reminder of Aggies who made the ultimate sacrifice is the Memorial Student Center. The building, which serves as the campus’ student union, was dedicated in 1951 to all Aggies killed in action. And while the MSC has since been renovated and repurposed significantly over the years, the tradition remains that students and visitors are asked not to walk on the grass surrounding the building and to remove their hats upon entering. The eight Aggie recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor — the nation’s highest military award for bravery — are also honored through a permanent display showcased inside the MSC. The names and likenesses of those former students are commemorated in the Hall of Honor. The Aggies Lost in Service Memorial at the east end of the hall lists the names of all Aggies who have died in past wars.

 

We ought to give thought as to how we can best remember those who have given their lives for our continued freedom. Jesus said, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). How can we honor the sacrifices that continue to be made?  Our freedom has come at so high a price we dare not squander it by seeking only to serve our own interests. We are free to live at liberty and pursue the happiness found in seeking to do the will of Almighty God. We can use our freedom as an opportunity to bless and serve others rather than using it to gratify our own desires. The freedom we enjoy was not purchased with gold or silver but with the blood, sweat, and tears of the ones that we honor today. As you remember the lives of those, who sacrificed for your freedom, ask God how you can be an instrument of His love.