For those who serve and protect us

The reality of war hits home when the soldier's face is a familiar one.

Mark Merlino, a faithful member of my parish, has just begun yet another deployment in Afghanistan along with 200 others from the Massachusetts National Guard’s 26th "Yankee" Brigade.  They will be deployed for a year to Kabul Province, joining 700 other Yankee Brigade Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry Regiment currently in Afghanistan.

(If Mark's story sounds familiar, you might remember him from two earlier posts, here and here.)

Every weekend, in the prayers of the faithful, my parish prays:

For God’s people everywhere:
- for the work of justice and a harvest of peace;
- for wisdom and compassion in the work of those who govern us;
- for those who serve and protect us;
- for those in harm's way, for an end to war, and for our enemies;
      let us pray to the Lord...

Mark's face in the photo above (with his family) is a special reminder to me to pray for those who so generously "go the extra mile" (see this coming Sunday's gospel).

Whether direct or indirect, we all have a relationship with those who are serving our country.  Please, take a moment, before you move away from this post, to pray for those who serve and protect us, for those who are in harm's way...


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