“…Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant…” – Matthew 20: 25-27
“Our heavenly Father, divine Love, demands that all men should follow the example of our Master and his apostles and not merely worship his personality. It is sad that the phrase divine service has come so generally to mean public worship instead of daily deeds.” – from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy
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On this Veteran’s Day I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to all the men and woman who are faithfully and bravely serving around the world in the armed services, the Peace Corps, the Red Cross, and the Foreign Service. I want you to know that we remember you and appreciate you. You have made a difference. Every word spoken with love, every thought of kindness and compassion, and every gesture of good will, brings mankind that much closer to “peace on earth.” Your work is not in vain, and you are not standing alone.
In the chapter titled Peace and War in Prose Works, Mary Baker Eddy writes: “The characters and lives of men determine the peace, prosperity, and life of nations.” A little later she writes: “Right thoughts and deeds are the sovereign remedies for all earth’s woe. ” As we celebrate this Veteran’s Day I have confidence that all those who serve around the world – in whatever capacity – have the strength, courage, and compassion to help bring the world closer to a place of “peace and prosperity.” And my gratitude is without measure.
There will be a time without war. There will be a time of peace. There will be a time when mankind will live together in unity and prosperity and with “good will to all.” I look forward to that time, and I’m grateful to all those who are helping us get there.
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“Bloodshed, war, and oppression belong to the darker ages, and shall be relegated to oblivion.” – Mary Baker Eddy (Miscellaneous Writings)
“It is possible, – yea, it is the duty and privilege of every child, man, and woman, – to follow in some degree the example of the Master by the demonstration of Truth and Life, of health and holiness.”
– Mary Baker Eddy
Adventures of the Madcap Christian Scientist 
Wouldn’t a donation to any of the organizations working to help those wounded in the wars be a stronger statement than a few words on a blog post? How about a donation to those in the peace corps or others that you spoke of? At the end of the day, words do nothing. Loquatious accolades do not feed hungry people, heal PTSD, or cure diseases. It would be good to demonstrate your appreciation all year round, and to take this moment in time to encourage others to do so as well.
Hi, atheist! So good to see you again! Yes, of course, you’re right – deeds are much better than words. (I actually do donate to the Red Cross, World Wildlife Fund, Nature Conservancy, Southern Poverty Law Center, Habitat for Humanity, Amnesty International, ACLU, Humane Society, and I’ve marched in the Migrant Workers march, the anti-coal train march, was a state delegate to the Democratic convention, helped build a home for Habitat for Humanity…)
I did not mean to imply that you don’t donate – just that a few words on this day seem rather empty and why I’ve not written anything in my blog about today. I may later, given that as a veteran I have some thoughts, but none that are more than words just now.
Yeah, I know what you mean. To be honest, it was a hard one for me to write. I felt I should say something – express some words of gratitude to veterans like yourself (and my dad – WWII vet), but I couldn’t figure out what direction to go with it, you know? You’ve probably gathered I’m a peacenik. I hate war. Hate it. And yet I have huge appreciation for the people who’ve left their homes and families (either voluntarily or drafted) to go on the other side of the world and face danger to life and limb. I’m trying to imagine what I’d want if I were a vet – would I want recognition or appreciation or gratitude? I’m not sure. Maybe not. Maybe not. Maybe the whole business would be something I’d just want to put in the past and forget… maybe I wouldn’t want anyone thanking me for it. I don’t know. I’d be really interested in hearing your thoughts, though, should you ever care to share them with me.
Well, there is a well worn problem – Thank you or let me buy you a beer works the first few times. After that they only cause concern that this is as far as people are willing to go. The recipient might think:
Why did you elect people that will send us to wars?
Why don’t you demonstrate against them?
Why don’t you come to the hospital with me on Tuesday to help with caring for people that lost limbs?
My dead friends appreciate your sentiments…
and on and on…
Those are just some thoughts… Why not write your representatives and ask for a comprehensive list of what they are doing to put right the lives of those who served? That will be my blog post I think.
Awesome response, atheist!! Thank you!! And I look forward to reading your blog…