Memorial Day 2009

Since before the founding of this great nation, people who enlist in our Armed Forces have been administered an oath of office.

Today the oath reads:

"I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

The oath requires the enlistee to obey the orders of the President of the United States and the officers in charge.

Of those who stepped forward and took that oath of office, 657,344 have died in combat. On Memorial Day we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice while carrying out the orders of the President of the United States.

Each and every one is worthy of honor and remembrance.

There are millions of others who served of which 1,492,516 were wounded in combat. And millions and millions who just simply participated and/or witnessed the horrors of combat and have passed on.

Each one did what he was sworn and ordered to do.

The overwhelming majority of veterans put down their arms, and picked up where they left off in life. They married, raised families, obeyed the law, participated in elections, and became good citizens. And yet, beneath that normalcy, lie memories that can never be erased; memories that often haunt them for the remainder of their lives.

And so today, I offer this prayer:

Dear Lord,

I pray for people in our armed forces who are placed in harm’s way. I pray you will be with them and they with you as they go about their appointed duties.

Please sharpen their senses, quicken their reflexes, and give them the courage they need in this time of turmoil. Keep them ever alert and watchful. Give them extra strength and stamina to withstand the rigors they face on a daily basis.

Be with their families and friends who are concerned about their safety.

And when our dedicated service members return, please grant them peace of mind and the ability to cope with the horrors they faced. Help them to return to normal lives as quickly as possible.

These things I ask through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Amen