A Day to Remember, a day to reflect upon
This past Sunday I attended Grace Church, Nyack. My intention is to make this church my 'home' parish - as a parishioner - when not on the road on Geranium Farm work.
I went to the 8 am service - just to get a feel for it. Experience has taught me that this service is often attended by either older parishioners, by those who feel at home with a traditional, formal liturgical style or those who have to dash off to work elsewhere of a Sunday morning. I was amazed at how quickly the liturgy went; how attentive and immediate the congregation responses came forth.
What struck me most - and most poignantly - was the Prayers of the People. The traditional, stylized language was used. I had both responded to and led (as one of the normal duties of an acting deacon) these prayers before. What astonished me - brought the reality of our nations activities abroad - almost as concrete as a blow to the belly was the reading of a lengthy list of those killed in recent miliary service.
I am not a mother, not the parent of a child sent into harms way by our government. Yet there I stood on Sunday, July 1 2007, with tears streaming down my face listening to the list of staff sergeants, lieutenants, specialists, privates first class, who have all died. I was so moved that I could not bear to ask someone whether this was a partial list or a complete list of the native daughters and sons in the local area who had paid the ultimate price in wartime activities from the armed forces of the United States since 2001.
Freedom, however defined, does not come without a price. It did not at the birth of this nation, during the Spanish American war, our own Civil War, the First or Second World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq or our participation in other overt or covert activities. Sacrifice is costly.
I invite you - wherever you may be - to recall the freedoms that we have almost taken for granted, remember those who have died believing they have helped preserve the freedoms of others and the families and loved ones who are left to grieve the loss of the precious lives given in selfless service. May those, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen
I went to the 8 am service - just to get a feel for it. Experience has taught me that this service is often attended by either older parishioners, by those who feel at home with a traditional, formal liturgical style or those who have to dash off to work elsewhere of a Sunday morning. I was amazed at how quickly the liturgy went; how attentive and immediate the congregation responses came forth.
What struck me most - and most poignantly - was the Prayers of the People. The traditional, stylized language was used. I had both responded to and led (as one of the normal duties of an acting deacon) these prayers before. What astonished me - brought the reality of our nations activities abroad - almost as concrete as a blow to the belly was the reading of a lengthy list of those killed in recent miliary service.
I am not a mother, not the parent of a child sent into harms way by our government. Yet there I stood on Sunday, July 1 2007, with tears streaming down my face listening to the list of staff sergeants, lieutenants, specialists, privates first class, who have all died. I was so moved that I could not bear to ask someone whether this was a partial list or a complete list of the native daughters and sons in the local area who had paid the ultimate price in wartime activities from the armed forces of the United States since 2001.
Freedom, however defined, does not come without a price. It did not at the birth of this nation, during the Spanish American war, our own Civil War, the First or Second World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq or our participation in other overt or covert activities. Sacrifice is costly.
I invite you - wherever you may be - to recall the freedoms that we have almost taken for granted, remember those who have died believing they have helped preserve the freedoms of others and the families and loved ones who are left to grieve the loss of the precious lives given in selfless service. May those, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen
posted by Joanna Depue | 5:08 PM
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