Memorial Day is a Monday

Memorial Day is a Monday, not a Sunday.

I say that as a grateful American who loves my country, who

celebrates the blessings of freedom that so many laid their lives down for. I

say that as someone who has a number of ancestors that fought boldly in the Revolutionary

War, in addition to those that fought with courage in a variety of conflicts. I

say that as someone who has traced his ancestors from early American history in

Tennessee, South Carolina,

Georgia, and Alabama, some of whom

were involved in the beginnings of Methodism and some of whom were directly

involved in the establishment of our principles of religious freedom. I say

that as someone who has been to see their graves and remembered their

sacrifices.

One of the things I value most is religious freedom in our

country. The downside, of course, is that there are more versions of

Christianity than I can count on our continent. Most are faithful traditions

seeking God. Others are distortions that I consider dangerous. But I believe

that due to the religious freedom we value so dearly, time sifts through what

is truth and what is not. Each movement thrives or dies according to the purity

of its fruit. I leave that to God, and I appreciate the right to choose

expression of faith.

All this is to say it’s important to acknowledge those who

have gone before us, remembering their sacrifices. But I must admit, it bothers

me that we seem to forget Memorial Day is a Monday. We tend to just take the

day off to barbeque, or go to the lake, or get some housework done, or spend

leisure time with family. And we assume the church is there to cover for us on

the day before.

Memorial Day is a federal holiday celebrated every year on

the final Monday of May. It originated after the Civil War to commemorate the

deceased Union and Confederate soldiers. By

the 20th century, it had been extended to honor all Americans who have died

while in the military service. Many people visit cemeteries and memorials,

particularly to honor those who have died in military service. I usually spend

a little time maintaining or sharing the online memorials I have made of family

who served in the military.

So I suppose I’m not reminding us Memorial Day is a Monday

just because of my discomfort with too much of a sprinkling, into Sunday worship,

of “civil religion,” that set of quasi-religious attitudes, beliefs, rituals,

and symbols that tie members of a political community together. It is true that

I am conservative about what is displayed on the communion table and religious

symbolism in the sanctuary, which should point to Christ and to the grace of

God, and not who we are and what we stand for. It is true that I do not

consider the flag an essential piece of Christian worship furniture with the

same prominence as the communion table, the pulpit, and the font.

Mainly, I’m reminding us the Memorial Day is a Monday

because we must never forget national holidays, such as Veteran’s Day, Memorial

Day, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, and Labor Day were created to give us

Mondays to commemorate, remember, and respect our heritage and national

blessings. It’s not to be “covered” by worship the day before. Worship is to

focus all of our lives on the redeeming grace of God through the love of Jesus

Christ. Each national Monday is a time to do something intentional to remember,

reflect, and respond.

Originally at Musings of a Musical Preacher Read the original ↗