MEMORIAL DAY

On Memorial Day, across the United States, we pause to honor those who have fallen in defense of our nation. We remember the men and women who gave their lives so that we might live in freedom.

Jesus said in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” That verse captures the essence of what this day means. It is about selfless love. These heroes didn’t just talk about freedom. They believed in it. They stood for it. And ultimately, they gave their lives for it.

Let’s take a moment to reflect on those who have died defending freedoms anywhere in the world. Whether on the shores of Normandy, in the jungles of Vietnam, in the hills of Afghanistan, or in the mountains of Artsakh, every life laid down for the sake of freedom carries eternal weight. And God does not forget.

The Bible tells us in Hebrews 6:10, “God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people.” God honors sacrifice. In the same way we remember the heroes of our nation, God remembers those who gave everything out of love. Not one drop of blood, not one prayer whispered in a battlefield, is forgotten by heaven.

So today, as we remember their sacrifice, let us also respond to it by living in a way that honors the values they died defending: faith, freedom, unity, and love. And as we gather with our loved ones, let’s say a prayer of thanks. Let’s thank God for the heroes who gave their lives. Let’s thank Him for freedom. And let’s ask Him for the strength to be faithful stewards of the liberty we’ve been given.

May God bless you. May He bless the families of the fallen. May He bless our active service members. And may God bless the United States of America.

Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan
May 26, 2025