On this solemn Memorial Day, we pause to honor the brave men and women who laid down their lives for the freedoms we hold dear. I have witnessed firsthand the unwavering courage and sacrifice required to protect our nation, and on days like today, we must remember heroes not just as soldiers, but as fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters whose duty and love for their country and each other transcended everything else.

The origins of Memorial Day trace back to the aftermath of the Civil War, a conflict that claimed more lives than any war in American history. In 1868, General John Logan designated May 30 as a day to decorate the graves of those who died in that war with flowers.

Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, has evolved to commemorate all American military personnel who have died in war.

Our nation's history is replete with tales of valor and sacrifice. From the fields of Gettysburg to the beaches of Normandy, from the jungles of Vietnam to the deserts of the Middle East, countless Americans have made the ultimate sacrifice. They believed in an America rooted in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

As we reflect on their sacrifice, however, we must also acknowledge the troubling shifts in our national ethos. A significant drift has distorted the principles and morals upon which our nation was built. This shift has led to division among the people, challenging the very core of what these brave souls fought to protect.

Their death was a sacrifice made to protect life and our Christian values, but our nation has instead rejected this sacrifice and embraced a culture of death.

We, as a people and nation, have failed our brave men and women who gave their all on the field of battle.

During World War I, a Lieutenant Colonel looked out across one of those battlefields and saw a sea of red poppies. This sight inspired him to write a poem that would eventually establish the Memorial Day tradition of wearing red flowers:

“Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow.”

Originally intended to drive the next rank into the fight for liberty, the poem today should convict every American soul. We, as a generation, have dropped the torch.

For hundreds of years, our nation has resisted tyrannies. America has rejected religious persecution, absolute monarchs, racial oppression, and democratic hellscapes instead of defending our Christian republic to the death.

But few would look at our nation today and see our heroic past. Instead our nation is led by politicians proclaiming democracy as a desired end state. Racial grievance protests and antisemitic activism have ripped the fabric of our culture apart, a cult-like following accompanies our political leaders, and the purge of Christians from government service is standard operating procedure today.

A nation founded on the strength of community is dissolving into self-serving individuality.

Despite these challenges, Memorial Day offers us a moment of clarity. This day reminds us that our strength as a nation lies in our unity and our shared values. The sacrifices of our fallen heroes call us to a higher standard of citizenship, one that transcends political divides and focuses on the common good.

As a Christian, I firmly believe that our nation's greatness is derived from her adherence to enduring principles of faith in God. These principles guided our forebears and can guide us through our current challenges. We must honor the memory of the fallen by striving to restore the values they held so dear.

Every citizen plays a crucial role in upholding the freedoms we cherish. This responsibility demands careful study and preparation to answer the call of freedom. Understanding our rights and the foundations of our liberty is not merely a privilege, but also a duty. By educating ourselves and preparing to defend our freedoms, we honor those who have paid the ultimate price and ensure their sacrifice was not in vain.

Let this Memorial Day be a call to action. Let us renew our dedication to the principles of faith, family, and freedom. Let us strive to be a nation of which our fallen heroes would be proud, one that honors their memory by upholding the values for which they fought and died. Through diligent study and unwavering readiness, we each hold a piece of the legacy of freedom, prepared to defend that legacy whenever called upon.

In their sacrifice, we find our motivation. In their memory, we find our resolve. May God bless the friends and families of the fallen, making his face shine upon them, and may he continue to bless the United States of America.