Reflections on Memorial Day

Reflections on Memorial Day

Submitted by Thomas Stidl

         Memorial Day is a day dedicated to the remembrance of those servicemen and women who gave their lives in the service of their country.  He or she is definitely a hero who gave their lives so that others might live.  He or she is the reason that you and I have our freedoms today.  We owe these people our very lives for that fact.

         We will never know the terror of their last moments unless we fought and survived in one of the many wars that our nation entered.  We will never know the final thoughts of family that they may have had.  Maybe, their thoughts turned to their wives or husbands that they were about to leave behind, or that they would no be able to see their sons or daughters get married and have grand children.  Possibly, their thoughts turned to the fact that their children would only be able to kiss them goodnight with only a picture.  I think any dad would want to throw a ball to their children, and every mom would like to teach their children how to cook and pass along family traditions.

         I heard from one veteran who survived an encounter with his adversary.  That veteran regretted that he had to take that person’s life so that he could live.  His one comment to me that will abide in me forever was if there were no war, he and that other soldier would have probably been friends sitting in a bar watching all the pretty women walk by.  Another navy veteran wondered how many innocent civilians were killed when the battleship that he served fired their lethal weapons on the adversary’s cities.

         Yet, we thank all these servicemen and women for their dedication to duty, honor, and country.  Many of them died an unprepared for death, and we pray that they experienced an encounter with a merciful God.  We must continue to pray for these poor souls, both our own and our adversaries.  I think that the prayer that Jesus dictated to Saint Gertrude would be a great assistance to these souls.  Please pray along with me now so that we can release one thousand souls from purgatory each time it is said.

         “Eternal Father, I offer Thee the most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my home, and within my family.  Amen.”

         Please say this prayer at least once a day for all deceased veterans especially those veterans who have no one to pray for them.

         Until next time, Laus Tibi, Christe.  Deo Gratias.  Gloria Tibi Domini.  Laus Deo.  See you in Paradise.