Memorial Day 2009

This morning in Mass we prayed for all those who gave their life for our freedom and the priest remarked how today is one American holiday you can say God bless America without being yelled at for using the "G" word.
I was thinking how today the secular world almost practices a form of the communion of the saints without realizing it. In towns, throughout the US, the heroes are honored for their sacrifice and graves are decorated with flowers and the names of the brave fallen heroes of small towns are read aloud. Now granted, most probably don't pray for the souls of those who have passed, but there is a palpable and important sense of connectedness we have with these fallen heroes who we choose to honor. In Catholicism, we are daily reminded in Mass that we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses or fallen heroes(martyrs and saints who lived lives of heroic virtue). The liturgy always mentions those of the first centuries of the faith who gave their lives in service of the Kingdom as we ask for their intercessions so we too may share in the kingdom of God on that final day. Since the early centuries of the CHurch, the graves of the martyrs were venerated and decorated with flowers and the remains of the dead were especially venerated.
This memorial day, we honor those specifically who gave their lives to protect the faith we practice and the way of life we are so privileged to share. But it won't hurt to offer up a couple prayers for the fallen who may still be in need of purification before they see Him face to face.