Gospel of John, chapter 15:13

Memorial day is a day to remember the sacrifices of our soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice of laying down their lives for their friends, their families and their country. These sacrifices often go unnoticed, bur we cannot deny their fruits in the form of liberty, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion which we take for granted every day of our lives.

A dear friend of mine, Fr. James Finn, was a soldier of a different sort. He fought for truth and justice all his life, and he did it with a soldier’s heart and love. He was a soldier for Christ, and like any soldier he had mixed feelings about his purpose in life. But that was the flesh speaking, and Fr. Finn’s faith overcame the weakness of his flesh. He worked with me in Okeechobee, Florida, for seven years after his retirement from parish administration in Ireland.

The night before Fr. Finn returned to Ireland for good, he left the following prayer, face up, on his bedside table for me to see after his departure. I read it upon my return to the rectory.

I like to refer to it as Fr. Finn’s prayer which I dedicate to the brave men and women who gave their lives so that we might be free:

It takes a lifetime to learn how to live,
How to share and how to give,
How to face tragedy that comes your way,
How to find courage to face each new day.

How to smile when your heart is sore,
How to go on when you can take it no more.
How to laugh when you want to cry,
How to be brave when you say “good-bye.”

How to show love when your loss is so great,
How to forgive when your urge is to hate.

How to be sure that God is really there,
How to find Him in daily prayer.

Happy Memorial day.