By Archbishop Thomas Wenski - The Archdiocese of Miami
Archbishop Thomas Wenski preached this homily while celebrating a Memorial Day Mass in the chapel of Our Lady Queen of Heaven Cemetery in North Lauderdale, May 25, 2020. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Mass was livestreamed on Catholic Cemeteries’ YouTube channel. Click here to see the video.
Today in this beautiful cemetery, among the faithful departed whose earthly remains rest here, we gather to honor and to pray for all the dead. We do so during a twin crisis – a public health emergency because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the most serious economic downturn since the Great Depression. Tomorrow, our parishes will begin to celebrate Masses with congregations present. Today’s Mass has been pre-recorded – we did not want Memorial Day to pass unnoticed – for Memorial Day reminds us of the resiliency of the America people: We pray for those who have made the supreme sacrifice, those who have died in the service of this great nation. May their example inspire us as we fight this particular war against an unseen enemy – the novel coronavirus.
Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day – and I remember that my mother always called it that. It was established to honor those fallen in battle during our nation’s Civil War. However, today Memorial Day honors those who have died in the wars that have taken place since, including those who have died in Afghanistan and the Middle East.
We owe these fallen heroes – and the families who mourn them – our gratitude for their sacrifice and our prayers for their eternal repose. This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II – we observed V-E Day earlier this month and in August we will observe V-J Day. The numbers of veterans still alive today from that conflict are diminishing every day. And so many of them are buried or interned here at Queen of Heaven cemetery.
Yes, to recall to our memory those who have died in war means also to commit ourselves to the cause for which they died. To honor their memory, we too must also be resolved to serve our country, to safeguard its promise, to accept responsibility for its destiny – “that these dead shall not have died in vain.” This we do through assuming the responsibilities of good citizenship, by voting responsibly and paying our taxes; we do through putting the common good ahead of private self-interest and in “giving back” through volunteer service.
Catholics – and others – for the sake of the common good embraced a long Lenten Season, that in a sense has extended throughout the Easter Season – a long Lent in which we fasted from the Eucharist and the fellowship of other worshipers. This has not been easy – but as I’ve told many people in recent days, “If the Lord takes us to it, he’ll carry us through it.”
And as a nation I think we can be proud of the solidarity that has been shown these past three months: the dedication of health care professionals and first responders, those who helped with food distributions, the drive-by birthday and graduation celebrations. The spirit of America – despite some sharp political polarization – is still alive.
Nevertheless, President Lincoln’s words at Gettysburg still challenge us today:
“...(the) great task remaining before us...that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
Love is the capacity to transcend oneself, to make a gift of oneself to another. We must make our families once again the schools where such love is taught and experienced and the gift of self is made possible, where children learn such love from parents – from mothers and fathers who are committed to each other in that stable and permanent relationship called marriage.
Freedom is not the ability to do as we please but to do as we ought. It means that we can and do assume responsibility for our actions, to do good and not to do evil.
As Americans, we honor the sacrifice of those who died in the service of our nation and whose their sacrifice has won for us the blessings of liberty.
As Jesus tells us, blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.
May the souls of all the faithful departed, especially those fallen in the service of this great nation, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Que las almas de todos los fieles difuntos, especialmente los caídos en el servicio de esta gran nación, por la misericordia de Dios, descansen en paz. Amen.
