On This Memorial Day
Let us remember and recommit
We all have busy lives, but we shouldn’t let this day pass without remembering and giving a quiet thought, a prayer, to all of the men and women who have died in combat defending our nation, our civilization, and our way of life.
They truly did make the ultimate sacrifice for us, and their loved ones suffered immeasurable loss as well.
So many have died so that each of us could be doing what we are doing on this day.
But let us not only mourn our dead on this day.
Let us recommit to the principles of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity. The guiding lights of Faith, Hope, and Charity. These overarching Masonic tenets.
For if the day comes that every person of goodwill, around the globe accepts and holds to these principles, no one again will ever be asked to make the sacrifice that we honor this Memorial Day.
If that day does come, we will have fulfilled our sacred mission of bringing just peace to our world. We will have achieved the goal he envisioned when our Brother Pike declared of Freemasonry:
“Masonry is the great Peace Society of the world. Wherever it exists, it struggles to prevent international difficulties and disputes; and to bind Republics, Kingdoms, and Empires together in one great band of peace and amity.”
On this day let us remember and honor all of those who gave everything. And let us recommit to our Craft and its cause of peace.
I’d also suggest that Memorial Day shouldn’t just be for our fallen soldiers, but also spend some time remembering your family members that have passed as well. I try and go out once a year to a local cemetery where the vast majority of my relatives are buried on my father’s side. My mom’s side are all up in British Columbia, which is a bit more of a struggle.
But my dad had 16 brothers and sisters as well as his parents, all of which have passed. Going to the cemetery is a little more than a quick jaunt. They are scattered from one end to the other, although most are situated in a relatively small area. I had worked with the cemetery caretakers and got maps and plots of just about all of them, using the website findagrave.com to fill in missing pieces and just happenstance to wander around and finding others.
It’s sad that a large number of my relatives are long forgotten and neglected by the rest of their children and grandchildren, and someday I’m going to be just as forgotten as the others. I think that is in the back of a lot of masons mind as they age - what legacy will I have left behind, will it be enough to be remembered in 100 years?
All masons should strive to be that one, not just some guy who wore a ring with a square and compass. Maybe you won’t, but you should try.
Live respected, die regretted.
Great time for reflection, scotch toasts, and Masonry.