When Sadness & Gratefulness Coincide

This Memorial Day we will honor the men and women who have died while serving in the armed forces. It’s a holiday that brings both a solemn feeling as well as a celebratory one: we ponder the meaning of sacrifice and are saddened by the consequences of war, yet we enjoy family time and summer fun during the long weekend because we know their sacrifices have allowed us to live in freedom. We want beauty to come from ashes. This ambivalence (having mixed or even contradictory emotions) reminds me of the Christian martyrs.

When a martyr is killed because of their faith in Jesus Christ, we are shocked, saddened, and even angry. We mourn not only their death, but the circumstances that bring about violence and hatred in our world. In our sadness, however, we also know the joy they will have as they receive a martyr’s crown; we know that our Lord will wipe away every tear and that, after their longsuffering, they will experience the bliss of seeing God face-to-face. 

As we hear of martyrdom in the news, it often makes me wonder if I would be bold in the face of terror. I hope I would. But if I’m being honest, I don’t like to think about it! Death, particularly violent death, is a sad and scary topic. Yet, we must confront the issue because it is pervasive. We may not all die as martyrs, but we will all die. 

So then, how do the living continue on in light of the sacrifices made by both military personnel, as well as Christian martyrs? We mourn and we honor their pain in a solemn way. But we also enjoy the life we have with our loved ones, while acknowledging the sacrifices made for us. 

We pray for the souls of all who have died, but we don’t mourn in hopelessness. As Catholics, we have hope that conquers all fear: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We know that God will never abandon His people. So we find joy in Memorial Day, even through the sadness. Likewise, we rejoice when the saints are brought into the Kingdom of Heaven. It is strange to experience such emotions all at once, but it is part of the human condition and a good reminder that without God’s reward of heaven, without Christ’s sacrifice, we would have nothing.