Monday, VIII Week
Memorial Day Mass
In Shakespeare’s play Henry V, the king under disguise speaks with his troops before battle. One soldier claims that the king would be guilty of all the sins of those who die in battle if his cause is not just. Henry disagrees. “The King is not bound to answer the particular endings of his soldiers...,” he says, “for they purpose not their death when they purpose their services.”
Certainly, Henry makes the better argument and for this reason we come here to pray for dead soldiers and sailors, not for dead Presidents. We can easily imagine the temptations of those going into battle. They may become over-zealous in their killing or they may victimize not only enemy combatants but their non-combatant family members as well. But whether they have committed grave sins or venial ones, they deserve our prayers. After all, they gave their lives that we might enjoy freedom and human dignity.
Catholics show themselves as worthy Americans today as we pray for our country’s war dead. Few practices are more uniquely Catholic than praying for the dead. And certainly there can be no better way to celebrate Memorial Day than asking God’s mercy on those who have died in service of our country.
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