Tag Archives: Memorial Day

2022-05-30 · 3:22 pm

Make sure to visit a cemetery today to remember those who gave all

The dates say it all. The land of the free because of the brave. This boy was just 16 years old.

Reagan said it best, this time on Veterans Day, Armistice Day, about the boys who, in death, handed this country on to us, who live (around 3’15” for just a minute) but the whole speech is a gem:

Patriotism is a virtue of the natural law and is blessed by God.

Dad was a veteran. He died many decades ago. I’m sure you knew a veteran sometime in your life. Perhaps you have a favorite memory.

My favorite memory of dad was back in 1962, when I was just 2 1/2 years old. I’d walk up in the Communion line next to him with the rest of the family behind us. This was at the great Saint Mary’s Cathedral with its gorgeous altar rail with the linens flipped over the top. I was always impressed by the linens getting flipped over the top, just as I was with kneeling there beside my dad, reaching up as high as I could to put my hands under the linens like he was doing. I was pretty small. I was filled with such wonder and awe and reverence as the priest and altar boy with paten would make it over to us. They would start on the Epistle side. We were always on the Gospel side. Everything worked together to instill reverence.

It was good be on my knees with dad before the Lord Jesus. Very good. Here we have a warrior on his knees, in reverence, before The Warrior, Jesus, in the epic battle of good over evil, God over Satan. And dad is with Jesus. I love that.

Memorare: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

I was able to offer Holy Mass today for my dad, George Byers Jr. USMC

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2022-05-29 · 3:00 pm

Flowers for the Immaculate Conception (Memorial Day, edition)

Above, at church. All volunteer. All donations of time, talent, skill.

Below, sent in by good friends:

Nearby:

Nearby again:

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2022-05-29 · 6:19 am

Adoration on Memorial Day Weekend

We are most in union with the members of the Body of Christ living on this side or already on the other side when we are in union with the Head of the Body of Christ Himself. Adoration early in the morning is good for the soul, good for the souls in purgatory, good for souls on this earth, good for the all too worldly souls to assist in their home-coming.

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2021-06-01 · 10:00 am

[9] Memorial Day [Why the flag must never touch the ground, not ever!]

Ever since I was a little kid I knew that the U.S. Flag was never, not ever to touch the ground. It was meant to be a sign of respect for this symbol of the greatest nation on earth because of the respect for God-given rights in our Constitution and its amendments. Hold the flag precious! Yes! I entirely agree. Always have.

But then there’s the rest of the story I only got to know in these past couple of years. It is narrated well in the short video above. What an education. Jaw dropping. Leaving one in thankfulness. This is graced humanity at its absolute finest, ever. Remember, the lives lost were for freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, the free exercise of religion (free to be Catholic also in the public square). Awesome. We are all in debt. The world thanks these guys.

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2021-06-01 · 9:22 am

[8] Memorial Day [Flowers for the Immaculate Conception (Morris Gordon, edition)

These flowers, acquired in memory of dearest Morris Gordon, had a rough life, as did he. However, almost dead from freezing and wild conditions, this rose has come back to life. And we quite frequently offer Holy Mass for the repose of his soul and then also for his wife, who is very much alive. Long time readers will remember this video:

Skip to 1 hour 29 minutes: 52 seconds mark (I tried to copy the URL at that time, but I’m not techy).

Morris is Jewish. I can identify with that! By the way, Jesus is Jewish, and so is His Immaculate Mother.

And just to remind people of a couple of things:

  • “They are Israelites; theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; theirs the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Messiah. God who is over all be blessed forever. Amen.” (Romans 9:4-5)

And specifically, for this post on Flowers for the Immaculate Conception, we read this about the dearest Mother of the Redeemer:

  • “Who is this that comes forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon and bright as the sun, resplendent as an army set in battle array?” (Song of Solomon 6:10)

So, a flower for you Mary, and in this case, a Morris Gordon rose.

Why this post is tagged for Memorial Day when we are supposed to remember the fallen in war? Because we should also remember WHY these men laid down their lives, that is, to save our friends from demonic atrocities.

Here’s the deal: we don’t have heroes just to say, “Look at them! And I’m pointing them out!” an exercise in virtue signaling. No, no. That’s all hypocrisy unless we strive to follow the example of those who were ready to lay down their lives for their friends, and then did just that. Love of God, love of neighbor. It’s all Judeo-Catholic. And we will fight for that. Thanks to the fallen in war. Thanks to Morris. Thanks to Jesus’ good mom, who as a supreme warrior, stood next to her dear Son, who will come to judge the living and the dead and world by fire. Amen. Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!

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2021-06-01 · 8:48 am

(7) Memorial Day [Homily: Queenship of Mary, Mother of the Church Militant]

At Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, Memorial Day was also Latin-Mass-Monday, and in the Traditional calendar, it’s the feast of the Queenship of Mary. She is Queen because she is Mother. It is her motherhood which makes her Mother of the Church Militant. In the very ferocity of her maternal solicitude for the children of God, she is encouraging to the warriors of this world, not only in the Church and Society, but on the battle field. I mean, look into her eyes: is she not beckoning us to lay down our lives for our friends, the greatest act of love, through, with and in her Divine Son who Himself has done the for us in The Battle, The War? Yes, yes she is.

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2021-06-01 · 8:24 am

[6] Memorial Day [Flowers for the Immaculate Conception (St Therese, ed.)

Paying one last visit to the cemetery Memorial Day just before nightfall, I noticed a statue of Saint Therese that I never noticed previously. Her full religious name was Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, recalling childlike simplicity of holiness and integrity and honesty so fierce that being in solidarity with the sufferings of Jesus for us is possible, and with enthusiasm. Her nickname – the Little Flower – is due to her description of herself amongst others of Jesus’ Little Flock. She’s depicted as cradling a crucifix in a bouquet of flowers. Mind you, these flowers are for Jesus, in His childlike obedience to the Father regarding His Passion and Death, so that He might give these to the Immaculate Conception, His dearest Mother and ours, as she stood under the Cross. You know the drill:

Mary is the warrior with her divine Son, in a battle, a war, over against Satan, the fierceness of whom all warriors do well to carry in their souls. In laying down their lives for the good of mankind, they will have Jesus’ good mom to welcome them into the eternal habitations. Flowers for you, Mary.

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2021-06-01 · 8:07 am

(5) Memorial Day [end of day – learning by mistakes made]

Researching away on what looked like official military websites giving proper instruction for half-mast timings and re-hoisting, I found out I had intended to do everything wrongly. Due diligence when to 82nd Airborne personnel, who told me to my face that I was all wrong, that although I was right about slowly taking down the flags to half-mast as sunrise, the flags were NOT to go back up at Noon, but rather only at sunset. Thus, the picture above. I could include pictures of all the rest of the town flags but you get the idea.

Also, I stand corrected on another matter of flag etiquette, not that I didn’t know it, but I was concentrating on something else, that is, flags which were specifically marking the fallen on memorial day. Both the U.S. flag and the MIA-POW flag were lowered, but I didn’t bother with the other flags (not pictured, such as the N.C. State flag). My mistake, made here and at the highway-entrance-to-Andrews flag (the rest were on their own), was to permit a situation in which the U.S. flag was lower than other flags. That’s about enough to get me shot. But I’m learning!

The project now is to get new ropes and replace the present ropes. We’ll need a bucket truck for that. That will involve politics, etc. You would think that this would be a regularly attended matter of honor. But these are the days we live in.

Meanwhile, when I was re-hoisting the flag up church, I got another fly by right close to flag and cross, by the mottled juvenile Bald Eagle whom I had met up with twice earlier in the day. He perched just down the street to surveil my activities. The picture doesn’t do justice to his wing span.

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2021-05-31 · 1:30 pm

(4) Memorial Day [Bald Eagle at church]

The flag at church this morning was also lowered to half-mast. As I did that, a huge eagle got my sight, a juvenile Bald Eagle. I immediately thought of the 16 year old KIA whose grave I had just then visited at the cemetery.

That picture doesn’t do the size of this juvenile Bald Eagle justice, as he’s waaaay up in the sky, far from the tree top you see in the corner. The juveniles are mottled as you can see this one is.

Most of the vets who are KIA in military cemeteries are juveniles who fought for our lives, our freedom. The Bald Eagle – as the whole world knows – is the symbol of our freedom to live.

Then I saw him over the rectory…

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2021-05-31 · 11:30 am

(3) Memorial Day [cemetery visit]

These two vets are brothers, buried next to each other so many years apart. The younger brother above, the older brother below. Not the dates below. The older brother only made it until 16 years old.

It is a good and holy thing to pray for the dead, especially for those who died for you. Hail Mary…

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