Memorial Day is a time of remembering. The holiday began with a desire to remember and honor all our soldiers who have died. Flags of our nation are flown at half staff until noon. Veteran organizations and many families take time this day decorating their graves with ornaments and flags and having special services of recognition.

With such honoring of our fallen heroes, such a time of remembering those who have passed from this life has now expanded so that it has become a day when people take time to remember and honor all their family members and maybe others whose remains rest in the earth. Cemeteries are visited. Graves are decorated with flowers and other objects. Lives are remembered. Special times relived. Relationships revisited.

As we Christians remember our loved ones on this day and other days there is One whom we remember and celebrate who once was dead, but has risen from the dead. He is no longer dead, but is alive and lives forevermore. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, gave His life for us. He who never did anything to deserve death sacrificed His perfect life to pay for our sins. He made that great sacrifice for us, who did not deserve it.

Even as we remember about our fallen soldiers and talk about those who made the ultimate sacrifice for us and our nation, so we remember Christ in a greater way. The Bible says, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8)

Our fallen soldiers died that we might have freedom. Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead that we may be reconciled to God and have eternal life. As God’s Word also tells us: “Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! (Romans 5:9-10)

Come, remember, and celebrate with us daily the life, dead, and life of our Savior Jesus Christ. Please visit or contact St. Paul Lutheran Church, Fredonia (672-6731), Immanuel Lutheran Church, Gowanda (532-4342), or Trinity Lutheran Church, Silver Creek (934-2002).