What They Have Given

Jesus says in the gospel reading for today, “the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God.” 

At times people talk about wars as fought on behalf of religion.  People have claimed to fight wars in the name of God but we need to be careful in examining the cause of those wars.  Wars more often are started by people looking to win more land for themselves, expanding their country and their power.  Wars are sometimes fought by those who find themselves fighting for their basic needs because of the greed of others.

Going back to the concept of holy wars, one could point out numerous times in the Old Testament when battles are fought at God’s instruction.  The Israelites were like little children in those days.

Now we have Jesus who teaches “But to you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you” (Luke 6:27). 

The best way to end war is to love those who hate us.  We also need to show love by making those who do not have enough food, water, and shelter have enough so they no longer feel compelled to fight for their basic needs.

I could go on about the causes, necessities, and justification for war (see “Just War Theory”) but these are not the point of today.

Today we celebrate our national holiday of Memorial Day.  It is a day when we honor and thank those who have literally given their lives in service to our country, to freedom and for justice. 

We must pray that all present wars come to an end.  We must pray that there will be no wars in the future.  This may seem unlikely but it is what we must work for.

Why?

Well, first there is Jesus call to “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you” (Luke 6:27). 

The second reason we must work to end all wars is because the price of war is too high.

When I speak of the “price of war,” I am not referring to the dollars spent on war.  Yes, that price is too high and it is money I would rather see spent on helping people with their basic needs.

Rather, when I speak of the “price of war,” I am referring to the exact reason we are here today.  It is Memorial Day.  Memorial Day is not the start of summer.  Memorial Day is a day when we honor those who have literally given their lives in service to our country.

Their lives are priceless.  So too are the lives of those who fought in our military and survive but with battle scars like the loss of limbs.  I also think of those who come home without outward physical signs of the cost of war but inwardly have paid a heavy piece in how war has effected them emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually.

They have all paid a hefty price.  We thank them for their service and we pray for an end to all wars.  We all do our part to help our neighbors with basic needs and to let go of any greed that leads us to take more than what is our due. 

We honor those who have given their lives by realizing the true cost of war and doing our part to end all wars.

These are the Prayers of the Faithful used at our Memorial Day Mass:

For Leo our Pope, Salvatore our bishop, and for our church, to always work to help build peace and end wars…we pray to the Lord.

For all world leaders, may they faithful in their duties to work for an end to all wars, violence, and terrorism…we pray to the Lord.

For those who have given their lives in service to our country…we pray to the Lord.

For those who have fought in wars and survive with physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual effects for the rest of their lives, may they receive all the help they need.

For our parishes, may we do our part to bring God’s love to the world as we perform works of mercy to help others…we pray to the Lord.

For all those who are sick and those who suffering, may they receive the grace they need to persevere…we pray to the Lord.

For all those who have died, especially for William Ellison Sr and Patricia Suits Ellison for whom this Mass is offered…we pray to the Lord.

For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts………. we pray to the Lord.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff