No Greater Love Than This

​The first Memorial Day commemoration on record occurred May 1, 1865, when a crowd of 10,000 freed slaves staged a parade around a racetrack in Charleston, South Carolina, which had been a makeshift prison for Union captives. Three thousand Black schoolchildren carried bouquets of flowers and sang. Members of Black Union regiments performed double-time marches. Black ministers recited verses from the Bible.
“America is hope. It is compassion. It is excellence. It is valor.” - Paul Tsongas
“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” – John 15:13
Affirmative prayer: Today, I revere all that is good, noble, and selfless about America. I honor those who have given everything to defend our home and to keep us safe. Thank you, God, for their light and love. Amen. 

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