A reminder of honor among us

This year, the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time falls on the 4th of July weekend. Like Veterans’ Day and Memorial Day, Independence Day reminds us of the cost of freedom — a cost often paid in human lives. This weekend, 4th of July parades around the country will feature military vehicles and high school marching bands while fireworks displays will light the sky in a way not unlike the “… rockets’ red glare …”

When we turn on the evening news, however, we will see another kind of marching. Service men and women, many not much older than those high school students in the marching bands on TV, serving in the military, some for second or even third tours of duty. And as we watch we will continue to be struck by their youth. Young people who would look more natural boasting I-Pods than rifles, young parents leaving diaper bags behind in favor of a duffel, some not even old enough to vote on issues here at home going off to settle the world’s problems on foreign soil. Aren’t these the same kids that were playing high school football last season? Don’t their brothers and sisters live right down the street from us? How can they possibly be old enough to go off to war?

“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin …” These young people are good at their jobs. Their officers have mentored them well. But seeing them on the news it can be hard to believe that they’re ready for such a heady responsibility. “Where did this man get all this?” We might ask this when we see the young man who used to deliver our newspaper now waving from the front page of that same paper. And we are reminded that these young servicemen and women willingly put their lives on the line so that we might enjoy the freedom to ask the question. Do we value their gifts and talents? Do we appreciate what they are giving up so that those of us left standing on the sidewalk can freely celebrate another 4th of July?

Van Benthem is a member of the Secular Franciscan Order and a longtime pastoral minister, retreat leader, spiritual director and published writer and poet.

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