In the gospel of John, the thirteenth verse of the 15th chapter, Jesus told his disciples "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."  This verse is on my mind as we head into another Memorial Day tomorrow. 

Memorial Day in the United States began as Decoration Day in the post Civil War years.  Memorial Day was set aside as a day to honor the individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice -- their lives.  To this day we commemorate and honor the brave men and women and their selfless sacrifice.

Right now our country is very divided over war.  Indeed war is always a divisive topic.  War is horrible and deplorable -- even those who consider it necessary will acknowledge this.

But when it comes to honoring the dead -- the men and women who showed the kind of love Jesus was speaking of -- let us put aside our differences.  Let us all give thanks for people who were willing to give up everything for us.

We use the term sacrifice rather loosely.  We say that we sacrifice to put our kids through school, or to give a little extra to a capital campaign at church, or to lose an extra 10 pounds before bathing suit season.  That kind of sacrifice is nothing compared to giving your very life to others.

The men and women who have died and gone on to be with God will never be able to hear their wife or husband tell them how much they love them.  They won't hear their child say "Daddy (or mommy), look!"  They won't see another sunrise over the Atlantic or a sunset over the Pacific.

True, those who believe in everlasting life have much to look forward to beyond this mortal coil.  But even those of us who believe that Christ has gone on to prepare a place for us don't know exactly what to expect.  Sacrificing all that we know, love, and hold dear to us here on earth for an eternal change takes bravery, and above all, love. 

Remember the fallen heroes on Memorial Day.  Remember also their family, friends, and communities who have to deal with the void.  The kind of people that make this sort of sacrifice must be some very loving people, and surely they will be missed.

Finally, in the name of those who suffered willingly the ravages of war, pray for peace.  Pray unceasingly!