Reflect
Once a year, we celebrate our veterans. We tell veterans we meet, “Thank you for your service.” Yet for many of these same veterans, each day is an experience of isolation and alienation. As one veteran said to me, “I can’t find my place.” Many of these same veterans suffer spiritually, trying to make sense of the horrors they have seen, trying to forgive themselves for things they have done. Most suffer silently. Many simply wish to share their story with someone willing to listen.
Pray
Lord,
Help me to be a listening presence
to the veterans I encounter in my life,
whether they are loved ones
or strangers on the street.
Help me remember to pray regularly for veterans
who are silently struggling.
Amen.
Act
Does your parish do anything to reach out to veterans? If not, perhaps you can explore possibilities within your church community.
