Memorial Day 2004

St. Peter’s Cemetery

May 31, 2004

Homily by Bishop John T. Steinbock

Throughout America memorial services are being held, wreaths are being placed at tombs, and as a nation we honor our military men and women who have given their lives in service of our country, not only in past wars, but also the brave men and women now in the Middle East fighting and dying at this very time.

But in this Mass we remember the men and women of our military in a special way, as we unite our prayer for them with the very prayer of Jesus Himself offering Himself on the Cross.  In this sacred place, we offer this Mass for the intention of all those brave men and women of our military who died for our country, and we can say “for us.”  We also ask God to protect the men and women of our military, not only in Afghanistan and Iraq but also throughout all the areas of the world where they are stationed.  We also pray for the many who have been wounded and maimed fighting for our country.  We must never forget the sacrifice they have made for us.  We give thanks to our veterans who have also sacrificed so much for us.  And we support with our prayers all of those who have suffered the loss of a loved one, a son, a daughter, a husband, a wife, a father, a mother, a sister or a brother.  We mourn, but we do not mourn as those who have no hope of life after death, who in the eyes of the foolish as the first reading states view them to be dead.  We truly believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead and will bring to eternal life all of those believing in him and trusting in his love.  For us and for those who have died, and for all our troops, Jesus speaks in a very personal way “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” 

Our nation is divided by different political views and different interpretations of world’s events.  This is not something new.  This has been a part of our nation since its founding.  It is part and parcel of our being a democratic society.  The only thing now it seems that people can be a lot meaner in condemning the opposing side, but it is probably only because of rapid communications we have today.  We are divided politically on means to achieve basically the same end, the common good.  But one thing is very true, we are all united in our love for our country and for our desire for peace. 

God alone is the way to true peace.  True and lasting peace is a gift that is given to those who seek conversion of heart and seek to fulfill God’s will in their lives.  And this is the work of the Spirit.  The words we heard in the Gospel yesterday on Pentecost Sunday remind us of this: “Peace be with you. Receive the Holy Spirit.”  When we pray for peace, whether it be in our families, our communities or in the Middle East and in the world, we really are praying that men and women seek conversion of heart and seek God’s will in their lives.   This we ask of God for our leaders, for the leaders of all nations and all peoples.  This we ask for ourselves and for all peoples of all nations.  This is the only way to true and lasting peace.  Peace found on diplomatic or military means, is only an exterior and transitory peace.  True peace must come from our hearts.

Pope John XXIII in his Encyclical letter written in 1963, Peace on Earth, told us that peace is an edifice resting on four pillars: Truth, Justice, Love and Freedom.

The Truth that must be the basis of our lives, is the truth of God, the truth of the moral law.  America first proclaimed its independence on the basis of self-evident moral truths, and the only hope for America to live in peace is to once again follow those self evident moral truths, the heart of which is the ten commandments, which are the charter of true freedom, for individuals as well as for society as a whole.  Without this commitment to follow self evident truths placed in our nature by God, peace will always be elusive and illusionary.

The second pillar of peace is Justice, which calls for us to respect the dignity and rights of every human person, and to respect our country’s law as well as international law.  It rejects violence and sees it as only the last resort, as we all know the adage blood begets blood, and closes hearts to God’s words of love. 

But Justice must be tempered with love and enables us to realize that we all belong to the same human family, and includes the ability to forgive which is essential to restoring peace amongst individuals and amongst nations, especially after conflict.  Without forgiveness that comes from love in our hearts there is never true reconciliation.

The fourth pillar Freedom allows people to act according to reason and to assume responsibility for their own actions.  But true freedom is the freedom to do good, not to do evil.  True freedom must be based on truth and justice and motivated by love.

All of these pillars are interrelated and are dependent on our openness to God to fill us with His Spirit.  He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  Humanly it is impossible at times to forgive and love, and seek justice and live in true freedom without abusing it.  But with God all things are possible in our lives.  Having these pillars in our lives and trying to live by them and teach them to others, is our only hope for true, lasting peace in our homes, our communities, our country and in our world.  We might include a fifth pillar and that is prayer.  We must pray for peace every day of our lives, for peace depends on the power of God changing hearts, enabling men and women to be open to the truth, justice, freedom, and love upon which peace depends.

The many men and women of our military who have given their lives have given their lives basically for others, as Jesus gave his life for us.  The military in our nation above all are called to be peacemakers.  May we honor these men and women who have fought with courage and died for peace by courageously working for peace in this world.  “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God.”

We are all called to be peacemakers.  Let us not be led only to punish those that wreck havoc in our world, but let us be led above all to work for more just societies, encouraging our legislators to make an effort to wipe out the root causes of unrest and injustice in our world.  But all our efforts to be peacemakers must always be motivated by the love of God and the love that he calls us to have for all men and women in this world.  Love conquers all.  Love led Christ to the cross, who died for all men and women of every country, of every race.  And the power of God’s love led him also to the resurrection.  In the end love will be victorious as Christ, our Savior has ultimately conquered evil through his death and resurrection.  But that whole mystery of love overcoming evil must now be lived out in our lives as we seek peace in our world.

Thank you God, for the men and women of our military whom we honor today, who gave of their lives that we might live in peace.  Let us honor them not only with words but with lives led by truth, seeking justice, and using our freedom to truly love others as Christ has loved us. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.”