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In Christ, Mark
Nearly 141 years ago, the United States was recovering from a long and bloody Civil War. Those who survived returned home weary and battle scarred, many severely wounded or disabled. Many never made it home with over 646 thousand Union forces and nearly 134 thousand Confederates losing their lives, all this within the boundaries of this great nation.
Our nation’s participation in armed conflict didn’t stop there. The Spanish-American War, World Wars 1 and 2, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq would follow and approximately another 625,000 would give their lives. And the death toll has not stopped yet…every day our servicemen and women continue to die in service to God and country.
While looking at these figures, it’s important for us to not lose sight that those who have died in conflict are more than just mere numbers. Each person had a life, a future they looked forward to, and a family back home that they loved and missed while in the midst of war. There was a human being just like you and I behind every casualty…and it would be inhumane to reduce them to a statistic. For their value was far greater than a number…their act of courage and sacrifice deserving of greater recognition, remembrance, and honor.
This was the mindset of Harry Welles, a small town drug store owner who worked and lived in Waterloo NY in 1886. He had watched those tired, wounded Civil War veterans come home and had listened intently to their stories as they shared their first-hand battlefield accounts. He marveled at their bravery and devotion to duty and felt impelled to do something to ensure that these courageous soldiers would not become an afterthought…to ensure they would always be remembered and honored.
And so he sprang to action, rallying local businesses and government leaders to close all shops in town each May 5th in memory of the soldiers who lost their lives in the war. On that day, flowers, wreathes, and crosses were laid on the graves of the Northern soldiers in Waterloo’s cemetery.
Elsewhere, retired Major General Jonathan Logan was putting together a separate ceremony, this one honoring all veterans who had survived the war. On May 30th, 1868, the ceremony involved a parade through town that stopped at the cemetery where flags were placed at the graves of fallen soldiers. It was a solemn occasion that residents named "Decoration Day". In his address that day, General Logan would state, "The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country and during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, hamlet, and churchyard in the land. In this observance, no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit."
From that day on, the northern states paused for commemoration annually on May 30th while the southern states would remember their dead on a different day. These ceremonies evolved to include children reading poems and singing civil war songs while veterans would go to schools wearing their medals and uniforms to tell students about their war experiences. Then the veterans would take their traditional march through the streets followed by all the town’s people, still stopping at the cemetery and decorating graves. Photographs of soldiers were taken standing next to the graves of fallen comrades and rifles were shot in the air in salute.
Fast forward to the 20th Century and 1966 when President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed Waterloo, New York, the birthplace of Memorial Day, exactly 100 years after the first commemoration. Since that time, just as they had done before, town’s people still walk to the cemeteries and hold memorial services, decorating graves with flags and flowers. Then they walk back to the park in the middle of town near a monument dedicated to Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines and listen to the reading of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address followed by Retired Major General Logan's Order # 11 designating Decoration Day.
In 1971, President Richard Nixon declared Memorial Day a federal holiday and changed the day of celebration to the last Monday in May. Since then, cities and towns across the United States have followed the lead of Waterloo, establishing special ceremonies to not only pay respect to the nation’s servicemen and women but also to loved ones who have died. Church services, visits to the cemetery, flowers on graves or even silent tributes mark the day with dignity and solemnity.
All and all, it’s a day of reflection…a day of remembrance for those who have passed, some having paid the ultimate sacrifice…protecting and securing our nation’s freedoms by laying their lives down for others and a cause greater than themselves.
In reflecting on this matter of sacrifice, I can’t help but also remember what happened 2,000 years ago, long before the United States came into existence…long before our Civil War. It too was a time of conflict and hardship…a time of turmoil and change…a time where people battled against one another within a promised land that God gave His chosen people…a time and place when one man was sent from heaven to earth to step forward and freely sacrifice Himself in service to humanity, paying the ultimate of all ultimate sacrifices.
This man, Jesus, was the very definition and model of the word service, never hesitating to teach, preach, heal, guide, and love anyone He encountered. His life wasn’t about what He could do for Himself, what gain He might enjoy, what success He might find, or what wealth He might amass. Empowered by God, His Father, He was all powerful and almighty, doing all things with the special authority placed within Him. Yet, He made Himself poor so that through His poverty we might be made rich, showing us it is much better to give than receive. Through His willingness to die for us, He showed us that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for His friends…and He did see us as friends even though our sins led Him to His demise.
Remembering Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, all seemed to be well. Honor and respect normally shown toward kings were being lavished on this Messiah that everyone had been eagerly awaiting since the days of the prophets. Who could have guessed at that point, that the same people who waved palm branches while shouting, "Hosanna, Hosanna!", would soon be shouting "Crucify, Crucify!"
Indeed, Jesus found few friends on the day of His crucifixion…no thanks for all He had done for His beloved people. After he had been arrested, wrongly convicted, bloodied, beaten, and sentenced to death, He was forced to participate in His own death march to Golgotha. The crowds that gathered were not there to pay homage or show gratitude. They were not ready to follow Him to His death to adorn Him with flowers of sympathy and respect. They were there to witness His execution…to see that the death sentence they demanded from Governor Pilate was carried out. They lined the streets that Jesus struggled to navigate, spitting on His blood stained body and hurling words of insult and derision. The depths of human failure were on full display as Jesus carried His cross to the place where they would drive nails through His hands and feet…the place where He would hang in agonizing pain inching toward death…a place where He would display His absolute mercy, compassion, and grace in the ultimate act of forgiveness as He asked His Father to forgive those who assailed Him, for they knew not what they were doing.
Jesus, our Savior, lived, loved, and served and He did so willingly,well knowing His coming fate… knowing that pain, humiliation, betrayal, sadness, and death awaited Him…and yet, He carried on. He could have saved Himself…He could have chosen to desert His mission – but He didn’t. For He had an incomprehensible love for something greater than Himself – us. Saving all mankind meant far more than saving Himself…the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the one. Jesus gave up His breath in death on the cross so He could breathe life into a people who were walking down the path of sinful self annihilation…three days later. His resurrection ushered in hope and the very opportunity for eternal life that we enjoy today.
In the end translation, Jesus’ crucifixion and subsequent resurrection was the greatest victory in the greatest battle ever fought. His victory over the world, over sin, over death, and over Satan provided us with the opportunity for victory as well…all He requires is that we place our trust and belief in Him.
So we must never lose sight that all that we are today, yesterday, and tomorrow is because of Jesus Christ. We love because He first loved us. We serve because He first served us. We understand sacrifice because He showed us what true sacrifice is all about. We’re free because He paid the price for us. We live because He died.
Not only this Memorial Day but every day, let us ever remember that Jesus was the One who first showed us the value of sacrificial service...service filled with courage, bravery, valor, and heroism. Thanks be to God for the indescribable gift of His Only Son.
Amen.
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
