I have been traveling, so have had little chance to post much lately. So a bit late, but with continued sincerity, here is the prayer I offered with our congregation on the day before Memorial Day.
For Memorial Day
Introduction:
In the early 1990’s, my mother, a survivor of the second world war from the Netherlands, reached out to her friend Iris, who had grown up in Germany through that same terrible conflict. One had a son who was protesting the new war in the middle east. The other had a son who was an officer in the US Marines, stationed somewhere in the middle east, she knew not where.
The two women shared their grief and the terror of memory.
Let us stand as we are able.
On this day before Memorial Day you and I stand together to remember the dead of many wars.
We remember with grief those known to us and beloved of us, who will never return home.
We remember the soldiers in uniform who have served this nation;
We remember the many civilians who have died in war,
Sometimes simply called “collateral damage”.
We remember as well the dead of our enemies,
and the mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers they have left behind.
May God hold them in God’s hand of mercy,
And grant them comfort and peace.
And may God guide us, the living,
in the creation of a world where war is no more,
and mothers and fathers need no longer fear for the lives of their children,
nor children grieve the loss of their parents, sisters and brothers.
Amen.
For Memorial Day
Introduction:
In the early 1990’s, my mother, a survivor of the second world war from the Netherlands, reached out to her friend Iris, who had grown up in Germany through that same terrible conflict. One had a son who was protesting the new war in the middle east. The other had a son who was an officer in the US Marines, stationed somewhere in the middle east, she knew not where.
The two women shared their grief and the terror of memory.
Let us stand as we are able.
On this day before Memorial Day you and I stand together to remember the dead of many wars.
We remember with grief those known to us and beloved of us, who will never return home.
We remember the soldiers in uniform who have served this nation;
We remember the many civilians who have died in war,
Sometimes simply called “collateral damage”.
We remember as well the dead of our enemies,
and the mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers they have left behind.
May God hold them in God’s hand of mercy,
And grant them comfort and peace.
And may God guide us, the living,
in the creation of a world where war is no more,
and mothers and fathers need no longer fear for the lives of their children,
nor children grieve the loss of their parents, sisters and brothers.
Amen.