For the Fallen of War

Not always, but sometimes, the instincts of the nation and the instincts of the Church come into harmony. And today - Memorial Day - is one of those times.

War disrupts and cuts off too many lives far too soon. More than forty million have died fighting for this country in its many wars beginning with the revolution. The nation’s instinct has been to honor and remember these fallen soldiers with ceremonies and by visiting and decorating their graves. This eventually became the annual civil holiday first known as Decoration Day and now known as Memorial Day.

This, as I say, harmonizes with the instincts of the Church.

War has been a part of human behavior for all of history. And even before the coming of Christ, the people of God knew to remember and pray for those whose lives it claimed.

Attributed arms of David, Joshua, and Judas Maccabeus,
three of the "Nine Worthies"

The Old Testament books of Maccabees tell of the Jewish Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire and against their oppression of the Jews. Many who died in one of the battles of this war had committed the sin of idolatry and when Judah Maccabee discovered this, he and his men “turned to prayer, begging that the sin which had been committed might be wholly blotted out” (2 Macc 12:42). He then saw to it that a sin offering was made for them in Jerusalem (12:43). He did this because he expected the resurrection of the dead and he knew therefore that the men who had died were not without hope and had a future.

We also believe in the resurrection of the dead. We know that our fallen men and women whose lives were cut short by war will one day rise again and those who believe will rise in Christ and live in him forever. And so now today we pray for them, even as Judah Maccabee prayed for his fallen men.

Even if they had sinned, they can yet be forgiven by the mercy of God. For them and for all the Lord Jesus offers his one perfect holy sacrifice and oblation of the cross, death, burial, and resurrection. In his resurrection is their hope of resurrection and life. In his mercy, is their hope of forgiveness and salvation. Let us commend them all to him and to his grace.