EDITOR'S NOTE: In October 2017 I began a new venture as a synodically authorized minister at Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, Minn. The ride over the past 2.5 years has been an amazing journey of learning, growing and a deepening of my theological mind. This message was given at our Memorial Day observance that took place on May 28, 2018.
First, let me humbly tell you all how honored I am to be here today.
I do not have any military experience, although I do have a father, a brother and three nephews who have served or are serving in various branches. … And so I am honored to received today’s invitation in their honor, as well.
When I think of memorial day, I can’t help but think of the many scriptures that are fitting to a life of service, especially one in which a soldier gives of their life.
But as I researched more and more about Memorial Day, its origins and its history, one particular verse kept resonating in my mind. … Matthew 25:34-46. … Many of you may be familiar with it:
“34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40 And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ 41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
But, really, I’m getting ahead of myself. … I should back up a bit and explain why this verse resonates with me so much today.
In addition to the research I did on Memorial Day itself, and its storied history, I also checked into the many Christian connections to this sacred day. I read from other pastors and theologians, from military chaplains and from service members themselves. And I started to detect a very poignant theme in much of my reading. … Article after article kept coming back to this theme that the truly honorable way to memorialize the many hundreds of thousands of soldiers who have died in their service to this country is what we make of our daily lives. … In other words, are we living lives worthy of living? … Worthy of their sacrfices?
Reading from service members who had written about the topic of celebrating Memorial Day, I gleaned from them that their service is tributized best when we don’t take our daily lives for granted, and we make something of them. … That is the thank you they want. … Or at least it seemed that way from my interpretation of the readings.
So, as today’s message kept swirling around in my head this past week, there was a pinprick back there that I couldn’t shake. … The phrase “a life worth living,” kept resonating with me, and I struggled to recall why that message seemed so poignant to me.
And then one night it hit me.
Please forgive me, as I don’t mean to sound trite here, but how many of you have watched the film, “Saving Private Ryan.”
The popular and award-winning film directed by Steven Spielberg was released in 1998, and it was a smashing success. … I don’t mean to give away the plot to anyone who hasn’t seen the movie, but it opens with the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, with members of the 2nd Ranger Battalion under the lead of Cpt. John H. Miller fight ashore to secure a beachhead. … Amid the fighting, two brothers are killed in action.
We soon find out that earlier in fighting in New Guinea, a third brother from the same family also was killed in action. ... And we find out in another scent that their mother, Mrs. Ryan, is to receive all three of the grave telegrams on the same day.
So the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, George C. Marshall, is given an opportunity to alleviate some of Mrs. Ryan’s grief when he learns of a fourth brother, Private James Ryan, and decides to send out 8 men -- Cpt. Miller and select members from 2nd Rangers -- to find him and bring him back home to his mother.
As the movie unfolds, it tells the story of how this group of soldiers is sent on a mission to find Private Ryan, one single soldier in all of the European Theater. … A veritable needle in a haystack.
Well, they do eventually find Private Ryan and they start to bring him back home, but trouble ensues when they come across another small band of U.S. soldiers tasked with keeping an important bridge crossing secure from the Germans. … Eventually this group talks the soldiers protecting Private Ryan into staying to help, ultimately leading to a culminating battle in which nearly everyone dies … except for Private Ryan.
In the ending scene from the battle, Captain Miller pulls Private Ryan aside and tells him under no circumstances is he to be killed in this battle because it is his job to go home and lead a good life, a life that ultimately was worth the cost to save him. A life worth of the sacrifice it took to find him and save him.
A life worth living, in other words.
And so at the end of the movie, a now senior Private Ryan and his family have traveled back across the sea to visit the graves of those brave soldiers that fought so had to save his life. And as he’s standing, facing Capt. Miller’s cross on his grave, with his family in the background, Private Ryan says, “Everyday I think about what you said to me on that bridge. And I’ve tried to live my life the best I could. I hope that was enough. I hope that at least in your eyes I earned what all of you have done for me.”
At that moment his wife walks to him, and then he turns to her and says, “Tell me I’ve lead a good life. … Tell me I’m a good man.”
Saving Private Ryan is one of the most powerful movies I’ve ever seen, and even though it came out 20 years ago, I still get chills thinking about that movie. … And again I don’t me to sound trite. I apologize if I do.
But as I think back on it today, I think that as Capt. Miller was speaking to Private Ryan on that bridge, he was also speaking to all of the rest of us, especially those of us who have never served in the military. … I believe that the message is the same that I read in those many blog posts and articles from service members that I read researching Memorial Day. … “If you want to honor my sacrifice, then take the life you’ve been given and do something good with it. … Live a life worth living.”
That seems like a pretty reasonable request. … One that asks very little of us, after all.
So why then do we make it so hard?
There’s even an easy road map for us. We don’t have to look any further than Matthew 25:34-46.
“And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’” … And a little later in the passage: “Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
It’s all made pretty succinct there for us. … Do for the least of those among us, as we would do for our Lord Jesus Christ.
So, brothers and sisters in Christ, I ask you to dwell on this as we leave the church today. … At the end of the day, are your pursuits worthy of the lives that have been lost to defend this country, its values and even our daily lives. …
I’m ashamed to say, but I know there are times I can’t say yes. … Let’s face it, there’s just days where I’m a little too selfish … a little too cheap … a little too inconsiderate to be able to say that I achieve this ideal everyday.
And so not only am I honored to have been asked to share this message with you today, but I can say that it’s help to remind me that strive a little harder. Made me want to be worthy of standing in front of you today.
I know that some days I will succeed, but unfortunately, on far too many days, I won’t. But at least I intend to be more purposeful.
So, on this Memorial Day 2018, I ask each of you, if you would please join me in beginning a new habit of reminding yourself each day that your goal should be to make it a day worth living. And let’s see if we can’t start some kind of groundswell by convincing others to join us. … Amen.
Thank you for the honor of speaking to you today. This is one I hope to consider well lived.
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