Veterans Day is, thankfully, one of the few days of commemoration that has not been turned into a three-day shopping frenzy. It was first proclaimed on the one year anniversary of the armistice that ended the Great War, as it was called, by President Woodrow Wilson. In 1938 Congress made it a federal holiday dedicated to peace and World War I veterans, many of whom were still suffering the effects of the war.
Today, politicians will lay wreaths at various memorials, make various statements about how veterans are to be honored, and then go home. Although there has been some expansion of benefits, largely as a result of the 2022 PACT Act and the 2025 Dole Act, threats to streamline services in the name of “efficiency” still linger. We see it in veteran suicide, and in spite of Congressional legislation, there have been cuts in services.
No matter what we think about policies that get us into conflicts, veterans were there while most of us were comfortable at home. Rather than the bombastic attempt to rename it by the White House, perhaps we should remember Wilson’s original intent: a day to think about peace and how to make it.
Prayer for the Day
God of memories, old and new, beautiful and sad,
Grace us today with your presence in our lives,
God of broken hearts, mend us and heal us,
And enable us to embrace the future.
Set us free from what has bound us to the past
Freeing us to catch a glimpse of your kingdom.
In the name of the One who shows us how to live,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, veteran, President (1917-1963)
If you compromise your honor and integrity on minor issues, it gets easier to make bad choices on the big issues.
Gen. (ret) Ann E. Dunwoody
Do not fear, for I am with you,
Do not be afraid for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, I willhelp you,
I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.
Isaiah 41: 10