Sixty Seconds

This weekend is Memorial Day weekend. The unofficial start of summer here in New England. If you live down south, or out in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, California, it is more like the Beach Boys say an “Endless Summer.” However, in this part of the country, our summers are short, so we tend to take them pretty seriously. We attempt to squeeze a lot of outdoor family fun into twelve to fourteen weeks. 

Because Memorial Day announces the beginning of summer, it has become a long weekend to celebrate with family and friends. Grill some hot dogs and hamburgers. Open the pool. Head to the beach. Unfortunately, this focus on revelry sometimes overshadows the true meaning of the day. Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day and is now a federal holiday in the United States set aside for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have died while serving in the United States armed forces. It is different than Veteran’s Day. On Veteran’s Day we remember those who served and are serving. On Memorial Day, we remember those who have passed. In 2000, Congress passed the National Moment of Remembrance Act. This act asks Americans, wherever they are at 3:00 pm, on Memorial Day, to pause for a duration of one minute to remember those who have died in military service to the United States.

It is hard to imagine that someone was willing to die for me. Gave their life so that I can be free. Norman Rockwell expressed this on canvas in 1943 with four paintings called “The Four Freedoms.” Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Want, and Freedom from Fear. We all enjoy these freedoms because someone whom we did not know and did not know us, was willing to fight for them. To die for them. That is so hard to comprehend. Although Christians should understand.

Jesus said to the disciples in the Upper Room at the Last Supper, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). He was, of course, speaking about the cross, but one can apply this to those we remember on Memorial Day as well. 

We should remember what Jesus did for us all every day. We are asked to remember what soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines did for us on only one day – Memorial Day. Please pause. Setup a calendar notification in your phone and stop at 3:00 pm this Monday. Whatever you are doing, wherever you are, just pause for one minute. Offer a prayer of thanks to God for these incredible Americans and pray for the families who lives were forever changed when their loved one did not come home.

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