The Concord Minutemen at St. Bernard Cemetery on Memorial Day
(Click image for a close up!) Photo by ConcordPastor
In many cities and towns (and certainly here in Concord, Massachusetts) soldiers and folks in soldier costumes paraded in formation up and down our streets today or, with less formality, walked to and from salutes and ceremonies. Flags were everywhere and some folks wore the stars and stripes or at least dressed in the national colors for Memorial Day.
We celebrated Mass at the parish cemetery under an archway of flowering trees and before an image of the risen Christ. Shortly after Mass a small parade of soldiers, bagpipers, Minutemen, horses, honored citizens and town officials stopped at our cemetery and gathered hard by the Resurrected One where I offered a prayer, a young woman sang America the Beautiful and two young people played Taps and Echo. A large brass canon delivered three exclamation points to all of this and the parade moved on to another stop in Monument Square.
None of the above is very unusual and I describe a scene repeated "from sea to shining sea" across America.
It is, of course, a good thing to remember the dead, to pray for them and to honor the bravery of those who have served and protected us. Still, the memory and present reality of war invisibly clouded this beautiful New England day and its rites, at least where I was standing.
Here's another poem from William Stafford, good for reading on a day when we gather at monuments and pray...
-ConcordPastor
FOR THE UNKNOWN ENEMY
This monument is for the unknown
good in our enemies. Like a picture
their life began to appear: they
gathered at home in the evening
and sang. Above their fields they saw
a new sky. A holiday came
and they carried the baby to the park
for a party. Sunlight surrounded them.
Here we glimpse what our minds long turned
away from. The great mutual
blindness darkened that sunlight in the partk,
and the sky that as new, and the holidays.
This monument says that one afternoon
we stood here letting a part of our minds
escape. They came back, but different.
Enemy: one day we glimpsed your life.
This monument is for you.
-William Stafford in Every Way Has Two Losers
While I lived through the Vietnam conflict, I never lost anyone close to me. In June 2003 the son of one of our dear friends was killed on a training mission in Djibouti, Africa. He died at the age of 27 from "friendly fire". He left behind a young wife and an 18 month old son.
ReplyDeleteThis was a young man I had watched grow up. While he was being buried at Arlington National Cemetary I helped to plan his local Memorial Mass; I held his boots and flightsuit in my hands and there were no words to describe the emotion. From that day on Memorial Day took on new meaning for me. It is no longer just another holiday, when I would be aware of our military sacrifices; now it is a holiday where this young man and his family are etched on my heart. Each year I call that young Marine captains family, just to let them know that I remember.
Because he was killed by "friendly fire" there will be no "decoration" ... no posthumas medals. What is left behind though, is a legacy of faith, integrity, commitment, and love: Love of God, of family and of country and that will live on...
Thanks for the photo of the ceremony held on Memorial Day 2008 at the parish cemetery. What a glorious spring day in Concord! I appreciate the spirit of the Minutemen and others who continue tradtions that connect us.
ReplyDeleteThanks to you for the Mass and the wonderful prayer.
I lingered long at the enlarged photo on my screen and printed it so I can sneak a peak later today when away from my desk or while tucked in bed tonight, or on some other evening, when I feel a need to see something from home.