by G. Moritz, Gazette
Memorial Day is always a somber affair, when the nation honors the dead who have served it. The Garretson American Legion Post #23 held their 2022 Memorial Day service amidst multiple rain showers, high winds, and thunderstorms, though thankfully during the portion of the program held outdoors, there was a respite when the sun shone and the wind calmed. Some folks might call that divine providence, and since this year’s speaker was Dr. Brian Gregg, PH.D. of the University of Sioux Falls and joint pastor of the United Church of Garretson, they might be right.
Dr. Gregg is the author of “What does the Bible Say about Suffering?”, which explores twelve themes related to the issues of human suffering and reflects on what we can learn from the diversity of biblical stories about human suffering and strife.
His speech on Memorial Day was about the value of self-sacrifice. He began by talking about early Roman critics of the early Christian church, with scholars of the day calling this new religion foolishness.
“It seems like it would be foolishness doesn’t it,” Dr. Gregg said. “Why would an all-powerful God choose to die? Why would you choose to lose the game if you had all the chips? Why would the powerful, choose to give up that power?”
Dr. Gregg said that in modern American life, the emphasis is on the self.
“Me first, me second, and then a little more me. My life, my dreams, my desires. What’s in it for me.”
Dr. Gregg said that the disciples of Jesus, and even the whole of Jewish people, expected the messiah to be a powerful force that would change everything, and would rule the whole world, but they expected corporeal power and change of governance. But he didn’t do that. Instead he came to serve, and that service took the ultimate sacrifice of dying for everyone to save everyone.
“Jesus said it like this; there is no greater love than this, that a man will lay down his life for his friends. It’s about believing in something greater than yourself. The list of names of the brave people we just heard, are people who didn’t shirk. They chose to adopt the same mindset, when they were called on to sacrifice, they embraced it. They embraced it for life, hope and the promise of a greater future for others. So, this day we honor, and remember their courage and sacrifice. But more than just remember we need to learn from them. We need to be reminded, seeing what self-sacrifice looks like, and remember we are called to do the same in all places and times by Jesus’ example. The act of love is entwined with self-sacrifice. You don’t have to spend your life waiting for a heroic moment, but you can live every day walking with that self-sacrifice in mind.”
