Question for Readers: Prayer for Permanent Peace
As directed by Federal law since 1950, Memorial Day is a day of prayer for permanent peace, including a National Moment of Remembrance for those who have died in War service to this country. Note how this year’s Bush proclamation includes his stump speech rhetoric he uses for his defense of the invasion of Iraq. For comparison, read Clinton’s last proclamation, in 2000.
Note also, how both proclamations, though mentioning the fact that the day is intended as a day of prayer for permanent peace, do not in fact include such a prayer. Maybe a prayer does not belong in a proclamation, but I have not yet been able to find an actual Presidential peace prayer. Searching Google for the quote "prayer for permanent peace" only produced 467 results, mostly referring to the proclamations, and when "proclaims" and "proclamation" were removed from the search, the resulting 61 hits did not seem to include any Presidential prayer.
Did you know Memorial Day was supposed to include a prayer for permanent peace and have you ever heard such a prayer offered on Memorial Day or offered one yourself?
Note also, how both proclamations, though mentioning the fact that the day is intended as a day of prayer for permanent peace, do not in fact include such a prayer. Maybe a prayer does not belong in a proclamation, but I have not yet been able to find an actual Presidential peace prayer. Searching Google for the quote "prayer for permanent peace" only produced 467 results, mostly referring to the proclamations, and when "proclaims" and "proclamation" were removed from the search, the resulting 61 hits did not seem to include any Presidential prayer.
Did you know Memorial Day was supposed to include a prayer for permanent peace and have you ever heard such a prayer offered on Memorial Day or offered one yourself?
posted by Tom Blake | 5:23 PM
3 Comments:
You know, I never knew the day was supposed to include a prayer for peace, but growing up in small town America, I've always associated Memorial Day with prayer services held at local cemetaries. The one I attended last year in my mother's hometown (Francesville, IN) was about what you'd expect from such a service: a mixed bag of thoughtful and heartfelt prayers, along with some warmongering rhetoric and a few notes on the current decline of our society. Still, my uncles and great-uncles are among the veterans honored at these events, and I find it deeply touching to hear them speak both of the experiences at war, and the need for peace.
My brother,our step-dad and all three uncles served in the Army and I was in the Air Force. Between us we covered WWII, Korea, the Cuban Missle Crisis and Vietnam, though the only one of us who served in a combat zone was the uncle who went to Korea. Those who have actually risked their lives in combat and the loved ones of those killed in combat are the most effective people to offer public prayers for permanent peace. I have never been to a Memorial Day service, but now that I know the day includes a prayer for permanent peace, I would like to attend one next year.
I would have prayed for peace, had I known. For me, "memorial" day has always been remote. Perhaps it's the abstraction of the name-- memorial-- (or its location just on the cusp of summer) but I've rarely felt what I imagine I should feel (empathy, regret, gratefulness) and feel I have seldom imagined what I should (wounded medals lying in ditches, discarded youth and noble acts of daring).
Anna in Vermont
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