The Power of Remembrance
On this Memorial Day weekend, in the midst of the excitement (and anxiety) of being able to gather once again for barbecues, float trips and pool gatherings, let us not forget to remember. To remember those who gave their lives in service and to acknowledge the power of remembrance.
If you know someone who has lost a loved one in service to our country, reach out this weekend. One of the things grieving people fear most is that the person they love will be forgotten–by society, by friends and even by family. Sending an email, making a phone call or even dropping in for a visit to let them know that you remember the person they love and miss will be a gift appreciated long beyond this holiday weekend.
Memorial Day is a day to remember that we did not get here on our own. I am about as anti-war as you can get, but I do recognize, acknowledge and appreciate that much of the life I enjoy here today is due to the sacrifices of those who came before me. And that is not limited to people who gave their lives in military service to their country. Those who fled religious persecution to establish a place where people were free to worship as they wished. Those who stood up for women’s rights and fought for the right for women to vote. Those who marched for civil rights and stood up against injustice and prejudice at their own expense. Those who boldly stepped out of the closet so that others might have the rights to marry and serve. There have been many sacrifices made by the generations that came before us so that we might have the lives we live today.
Remembrance is a gift. Jesus didn’t institute the sacrament of communion and say, “Remember me” because He has some powerful need to be remembered. He did it to give us a way…a ritual…a place to remember. In those times that we feel we’ve lost the connection to our Savior, when we’ve forgotten Whose we are, when we don’t remember just why we ever believed in the first place, we have a place to come to gather and to be fed and to remember.
It is in remembering those who gave so much that we are inspired to continue to give. In remembering those who served that we are moved to continue to serve. In remembering those who gave the ultimate sacrifice that we do not forget what a precious and fleeting gift life is.
Never underestimate the power of remembrance, to soothe, strengthen and sanctify us for the journey ahead. For we all hope to forge a path that, one day, is worthy of remembrance.
The Power of RemembranceNever underestimate the power of remembrance, to soothe, strengthen and sanctify us for the journey ahead. For we all hope to forge a path that, one day, is worthy of remembrance. #memorialday #remember… Click To Tweet
Rev. Anne Russ is an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA), currently based in New York City. Doubting Believer provides tools and encouragement for the rollercoaster ride of your faith journey. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram and YouTube. You can also follow on TikTok. Get emails to keep up with all that is happening.
