As we enter into the Memorial Day weekend, let us take the time to stop and remember the generations of Americans, from our founding to today who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and our ideals.
This morning I would like to offer a prayer given by Rev. Torrance Phelps, the Assembly Chaplain in 1945. This was his prayer on May 2, 1945, just days before the war in Europe ended.
“God of the Soldier:
We pray today for the Infantry men in this terrific struggle, who bear the brunt of war, and who, after bomber, artillery, and tanks have blasted a path, must win the last bloody battle.
Let us see them as they come with the flush of youth, fresh from schools, the office, and the shop with never a thought of killing and never handled a rifle, and have become the most effective and victorious servants of democracy.
May we see that they have no chance for spectacular acts, but often, caked in mud and creeping through jungle and over mined terrain, they fight man against man, and mortal against mortar.
Let us behold them as they contest with the foe, yard by yard, and rock by rock, and dig in fox holes, or wade through rivers or climb steep hills and dash from crag to crag to win a height.
May we hear them at this moment, marching, often weary and foot sore, marching in every part of the globe, marching through Europe, and through the South Seas and the Orient, and an unknown number marching on and out into Eternity.
And now we pray that the Faith of their youth may uphold them, that the love of their families, wives, and sweethearts may warm their lonely hearts, and the love of democracy fire them and make them the conquering hosts of freedom.”
Let us remember through this prayer offered in the midst of a war, all those who lost their lives so that we might be free, and let us pray that the time will be soon where there will be peace throughout the world, and all of our soldiers may come home safe. May this be God’s will. -- AMEN.
