Adjutorium Nostrum +++ In Nomine Domini

A neighbor of mine is a 90 year old WWII veteran. He is a member (mind you, not “was a member”) of the U.S. Army’s 1^st Infantry Division (The Big Red 1) and extremely proud of his service with that unit. He loves to talk about his unit and the part it played in the invasions of Africa, Italy, and Europe. His memory is sharp – he can recall the names of men he served with; remembers incredible details of places and events – and loves to talk about those events to anyone who will listen. He loves to talk about them not because he’s looking for adulation for himself, it is obvious to the listener that is not what he wants. As you listen you will notice that in the telling you will hear him use the word “we” and not the word “me” or “I”. He rarely actually talks about himself (although he does have a few very interesting personal tales to tell). It is clear that for him, as for so many World War II veterans, the telling is a remembering for him and a reminding for us. That war decimated our planet and revealed the darkness that can live in men’s hearts, in their souls.

65 years ago today the battle that would be the end of an evil, Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich, began on the beaches and cliffs of Normandy. So many died that day and in the following days – they died that many, many more might live and live in peace. While there has always been conflict and violence we have not seen war like the world saw then and I pray we never will.

May God give all the veterans of war peace of mind and heart and may God give us peace in our time.