Every Memorial Day, we as a nation stop to think about the courage and sacrifice shown by the men and women who have served our country. We visit the graves of family members who gave all that they had to defend our shores and uphold the ideals of freedom. And we remember the words of President Ronald Reagan, who said, “The price for freedom at times has been high, but we have never been unwilling to pay that price.”

I was reminded of those words recently when I came across a video that contained passages from Reagan’s First Inaugural Address. In his first speech as president, Reagan gave tribute to all the heroes who have paid freedom’s price. He highlighted one hero in particular by recounting the story of Martin Treptow, a young American who fought in World War I. Treptow never made it home from that awful conflict, but before he died, he made and lived a solemn pledge—a pledge to do everything within his power to serve our country.

Martin Treptow left his job in a small town barbershop in 1917 to go to France with the famed Rainbow Division. There, on the western front, he was killed trying to carry a message between battalions under heavy artillery fire. We are told that on his body was found a diary. On the flyleaf under the heading, “My Pledge,” he had written these words: “America must win this war. Therefore, I will work, I will save, I will sacrifice, I will endure, I will fight cheerfully and do my utmost, as if the issue of the whole struggle depended on me alone.”

Memorial Day is an important holiday. It’s good to set aside time to remember the sacrifices that have been made for us – for it is also part of our worship of God. When we set aside time and participate in activities like this that cause us to think about the past, and honor those who sacrificed for something bigger than themselves, we are reminded again that building the future together is about moving beyond “What’s in it for me” to “What’s in me that I can give?”. True sacrifice is to put our faith in one another, and our lives into God’s hands. To give all that we can for something greater than ourselves, for a vision of how the world should be.

On Memorial Day – and Veteran’s Day for that matter – we often talk about how our service men and women have fought for the freedom we enjoy. And yes – it’s so important that we not take that freedom for granted. We often forget how lucky we are to have the right to an education, the freedom to speak our mind and pursue the lives that we feel called to. Today, we remember with reverence all those who have died in the context of military service. We do not glorify war, but we do honor courage. We do not celebrate death, but we bear witness to the lives given in loyalty, service, and sacrifice. Some died in battle. Some carried invisible wounds home. All are beloved children of God.

And so our remembering must be more than a moment of silence. It must become a movement of love. Because memory, in the language of faith, is never passive. It is active. When we remember, we realign ourselves with truth. When we remember, we recommit ourselves to justice. When we remember, we remember who we are— sons and daughters of liberty – and we remember our calling – to sow seeds of hope and peace for the generations to come.

Micah 6:8 calls us to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God. This is not simply a moral suggestion—it is a path forward. And for us, on this Memorial Day, it might mean advocating for veterans’ healthcare, supporting grieving families, or working toward a world where peace is more than the absence of war.

Friends, we honor the fallen best not by waving the flag higher, but by walking the path of true patriotism more faithfully. That means furthering love instead of hate. Healing instead of harm. Peace instead of power. And above all, it means remembering that every life is sacred, and every act of love echoes eternally.

So let us remember—not just with our lips, but with our lives.

Let us carry their memory with us—not as a burden, but as a responsibility.

Let us speak their names.

Let us tell their stories.

Let us build a country worthy of their sacrifice.