NEXT
(0)
 
The O'Neill Memorial Day program was held on Monday, May 26, with pastor Bob Wynn. The following was Pastor Wynn's remarks. "Good morning to all of you, and thank you for taking the time to come out and recognize the significance of this holiday. At my age, I can still recall listening to stories told by veterans of World War II as a kid. This would have been sometime around 1970 or 1971, and on or around Veterans Day, my elementary school brought in two older gentlemen who talked about their experiences in World War II. I recall that one of these men served in Europe while the other was in the Pacific, and their experiences enthralled me. As a young kid, my only knowledge of that war came in the form of John Wayne movies, but here were two soldiers sharing what they went through. Later on in life, I came to know some fathers of my friends who would talk about the Korean War. It was fascinating to me to listen to their stories again. I am old enough to have the memory of the war in Vietnam and can recall the protests and the nightly casualty account that would be on the national news. It was those experiences that gave me the respect I have for anyone who serves, especially those who serve and die in the process. "As a pastor, I know how faith plays a big part in Memorial Day. The Bible is full of examples of giving for a greater cause. No matter what faith you believe or if you don't believe, the ultimate devotion of those who died for our country is reflective of the spirit of a soldier. When we focus on individual sacrifices, this holiday transcends political debates and brings us together as people created by God. If anything should unify us in this age of political divide, it should be remembering those who died protecting our liberty. During the Gettysburg Address, President Abraham Lincoln spoke of a new birth of freedom and linked it to the need for a spiritual rebirth. President Lincoln gave this address on November 19, 1863, during the height of the Civil War, and even then, he understood the importance of freedom. The Apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 5:13, "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use that freedom to indulge in the sinful nature but rather serve one another in love." Memorial Day calls us to protect the freedoms that our soldiers sacrificed for, to live by the virtues they upheld, and to mourn the loss of lives cut short by war and conflict. This holiday was created to honor both Confederate and Union soldiers, and this act of remembering is rooted in the teachings of Christ to love our enemy. Whether we have a loved one who died serving our country or not, we should never take Memorial Day lightly. Thank God we still have young men and women willing to step up and serve this great nation, which was founded on Christian principles. We thank every one of our military who served but died on the battlefield. May this holiday never be placed on the back burner, and may we always remember the sacrifice they gave.
| |||||||||||||||||||
Welcome to the discussion.
| |||||||
| Tags | Veteran |
|---|