Memorial Day 2017 - Lives worthy of their sacrifice

St. Thomas Aquinas said: "After God, man is chiefly indebted to his parents and to his country, and, therefore, just as religion must render worship to God, so, to a lesser degree, piety must pay honor to parents and to country."

So, love of country is a Christian duty, and from that comes the duty of gratefulness for the benefits that the citizen has received from the people and from the country in which he was born and reared. We are the inheritors of the blessings of freedom, and we have a duty to live in a grateful manner for those blessings.

Where Veteran’s Day, in November, honors those veterans who survived their time of service. The purpose of Memorial Day is to honor our war dead. Over a million and a half servicemen and women fought and died in our wars and battles over the many years: a million and a half men and women who put service before self for the country they loved, for ideals which serve as the foundation of freedom, for a better and more secure future for their family, friends, and even total strangers.

In the Church, we remember and honor the martyrs of our faith—those who laid down their lives for the Gospel, believing that faith in Jesus Christ leads to eternal life. “If the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church” as St. Ireneaus said, then something too can be said about the blood of our civic martyrs for the life and freedom of our nation. Our civic martyrs gave up their lives in order to obtain and protect the freedoms we often take for granted and blessed to wake up with every morning.

We are reminded today of our duty to be grateful for those who gave their lives for our freedom, and our duty to live lives worthy of their sacrifice. This duty involves remembering them and honoring them, yes, but most importantly utilizing those freedoms to grow in virtue, not to squander our freedoms on vain pursuits, but striving to develop our minds and characters to become worthy of their sacrifice, to live our lives, to raise our families, to educate our children, and to be responsible in our civic duty for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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Let us pray to our Heavenly Father, confident that He is generous to those who call upon Him with faith.

For Pope Francis, Bishop Thomas, and all the bishop may lead in faith and serve in love those entrusted to their care by Christ the Good Shepherd.

For our President and all elected government representatives, may the Holy Spirit grant them wisdom and guide them to promote authentic and lasting peace in the world, an end to terrorism, respect for religious freedom, and a greater reverence for the sanctity of Human Life.

For the lonely, the alienated, and the orphaned, that they will receive consolation from the closeness of the Lord.

For the protection of all those who serve in our nation’s military, and for our servicemen wounded in service.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our family, friends, and parish, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom for whom this mass is offered.

Gracious Father, hear the needs and prayers of your Church, grant us your grace, keeps us close to, and lead us to the glory of your kingdom, through Christ Our Lord.