Since 1971, Memorial Day has been observed on the last Monday in May. This day is set aside as a federal holiday to honor and mourn military personnel who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. We celebrate days like this in order to show that we value those who gave their lives for the protection of our country to bring us the times of peace that we enjoy. By remembering what they have done, we honor their memory.
Remembering is also an important part of our liturgy as Christians. The Words of Institution in the Service of the Sacrament twice include Jesus’ reminder: “This do in remembrance of me.” One of the benefits of repeating these words in our liturgy is that our worship helps us to remember and confess our Lord Jesus Christ and all He has done for us. This is why the prayer of remembrance in settings 1 and 2 of the Divine Service in the Lutheran Service Book gives us an overview of what we remember about Jesus and what is important about his life:
“O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment.“
In this world, there is so much that distracts us and captures our attention, and causes us to forget about Jesus. We are constantly being told that Christianity and Christians are being threatened by whatever is the latest issue of the news cycle. After observing this for several decades, I’ve come to see that many of the so-called threats are simply misdirection, and what we see on television is not there to build up our faith, but it is carefully crafted to manipulate well-meaning and well-intentioned people around a particular political cause or viewpoint.
This is dangerous for the church because Christians in the United States over the past couple of decades have become so focused on political agendas that we fail to remember Jesus and what He has done for us. Michele Margolis’ recent book “From Politics to the Pews” demonstrates that contrary to popular belief, Americans are far more likely to choose their church based on their political attitudes and beliefs than they are to have their political beliefs shaped by their church. We so easily lose sight of what Jesus continues to do for us in our everyday lives and the ways we can reflect His love in all we say and do.
The biggest need in the world today is for forgiveness, and that just happens to be the exact thing Jesus died on the cross to do. Jesus died to forgive your sins, and we get to offer that same forgiveness to the world. When someone sins against us or offends us, we don’t get angry or get even, we follow Jesus who from the cross prayed for forgiveness for the world that did not know what they were doing when they crucified Him. The reason the world seems so bent on either threatening or manipulating Christians is that the forgiveness offered in Christ is a threat to the power and the politics that reign in the hearts and minds of those who do not know or understand Christ.
The joy of our salvation is a powerful force in the world. People who are scared are easily manipulated. However, as St. Paul reminds us, “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7) People who are joyful, loving, self-controlled, and not afraid of death (or, as we are commonly called, “Christians”) are a threat to anyone who seeks to amass power and prestige. This has been a common thread running throughout history. We can learn a lot from the stories of the exile in the Old Testament and the persecuted church in the New Testament. As we become familiar with the history of believers throughout time, we see that Christians can thrive even when our political leaders and authorities do not reflect our values. If we remember and confess Jesus, just as we are reminded every Sunday in our worship, we learn to trust in Him and to look on this world through His loving eyes, and He will bring us (ever)lasting peace.