

As a believer, I really do believe my actions are in remembrance of Christ. But also a helpful reminder that whatever I do is indeed in remembrance of Christ. Shalimar pointed out that we handed in our exams on an altar table marked with the scriptural command “This Do in Remembrance of me.” All the work I did was in remembrance of Christ. One of my classmates, Shalimar, had a more profound and beautiful observation. I even remember after one particularly difficult test thinking that mine might actually catch fire once placed on that beautiful altar. Some of us would make jokes about how we were offering up sacrifices to the God of scholastics. We had to use the altar as a place to turn in all of our exams. I will admit that the presence of the pulpit gave a little more weight to what our professors had to say. The altar and pulpit stood at the front of the class as a reminder that this was Holy ground that we were merely borrowing. You can imagine it wasn’t always a comfortable classroom setting. I catch myself starting sentences with the dreaded “in my day…” I feel like the quintessential old lady when I go in the newly upgraded, cyber friendly classrooms available to the current divinity students. At that time the chapel was still used for worship, so we had to sit in pew-like chairs utilizing lap desks. It is a time to remember the sacrifices made by those who fought for our country, and to honor their memory by continuing to defend the ideals of freedom, democracy, and justice that they fought for.When I was in seminary, the classrooms were under construction, so most of our classes were held in the ‘old’ Duke Divinity Chapel.

It is a somber but important occasion that reminds us of the cost of freedom, and of the debt of gratitude we owe to those who have served our country and to ones who lost loved ones in the fight. Memorial Day is also a day to celebrate the freedoms and liberties that we enjoy as Americans, and is a day of remembrance and reflection.

Taking a moment of silence at home or work or flying the American flag at half-staff are simple but meaningful ways to show respect and appreciation for the sacrifices made by those who died while serving our country. Louis area Boy Scouts the day before Memorial Day and are removed immediately after the holiday.įor those who cannot attend a formal event, there are still many ways to honor the fallen. Louis area is at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, where thousands of graves are decorated with small United States flags placed by St. One of the most notable events around the St. Many communities also hold flag-raising ceremonies or other patriotic events to mark the occasion. Some people attend parades or other ceremonies, while others visit cemeteries to pay their respects to fallen soldiers. There are many ways to honor the fallen on Memorial Day. In 1971, Memorial Day became an official federal holiday, and it was extended to honor all American military personnel who had died while serving their country in any war. It was a time when families and communities would decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers and other decorations. Memorial Day originated as Decoration Day after the Civil War in the late 1860s. It is a time to honor the sacrifices made by those who gave their lives to protect the country, and to reflect on the freedoms and liberties that we enjoy as Americans because of their sacrifices. Memorial Day is a day of tribute for the men and women who died while serving in the U.S.
