MEMORIAL DAY - 2005

I remember that Paul McKenna never was found when he drove an ambulance somewhere in Burma in 1945. He was a neighbor of ours when we were growing up. He had lost an eye as a child. Years later his mother still grieved his death.

I remember more vividly the young men who died on my ward in an Army hospital near Bristol, England. I can still see their terrible wounds.

We thought we were saving the world for democracy, and for the right for people to express their opinions in public even if they were disagreeing with the 'party line'.

Now we are sending young men and women to die for oil. How sad. All the reasons we were given for this war were proved false so we were given another reason - getting rid of a tyrant. There are many tyrants around the world. Only those with oil interest us.

Yes we must honor those who serve for they believe they are doing an honorable thing. And weep.

And we are invited to pray for them and to pray for those whom we believe to be enemies.