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            Memorial Day is a federal holiday that honors and mourns our military personnel who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It used to be known as Decoration Day. It became a federal holiday in 1971.

            There are several cities that claim the distinction of being the first to recognize Memorial Day. I don’t know that it really matters but my home town of Carbondale, Illinois is one of those cities. City leaders held a memorial service at the Woodlawn Cemetery on April 29, 1866. A book that I have dealing with Southern Illinois history describes the event.

            On that day Gen. John A. Logan was the featured speaker. He is noted to have said, “Every man’s life belongs to his country and no man has a right to refuse it when his country calls for it.” The events that day included decorating the graves of the military dead. A barbeque followed, and a fight broke out. An eventful day indeed! Regardless of where Memorial Day began the purpose of it was and is to remember our nation’s war dead. How many stop long enough on Memorial Day to even give it a passing thought?

            A great deal of importance is placed upon how we observe the memorial of the Lord’s Supper every first day of the week (1 Cor. 11:23-29). That memorial originated in connection with the Jewish Passover (Matt. 26:17, 19). The Passover was to preserve among the Jews the memory of their liberation from Egyptian servitude (Exo. 12:26-27). The Lord’s Supper is our memorial of the suffering and death of Jesus. It was set aside to be observed on the Lord’s Day – the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). Again, how many give it the thought for which it calls?

            Do we put forth the effort to give proper focus to the Lord’s Supper? We appreciate those good brethren who lead us in our thoughts when we observe the supper each Lord’s Day.  Whatever they may say or not say it our personal obligation to commune with God at that time.  It is always good to prepare for worship and the Lord’s Supper. Prepare your mind, your heart and your will. We prepare for lesser things! Do you look forward to this hour of fellowship and worship? Would you dream of missing it any Sunday for the sake of a flimsy excuse?

            Reduce distractions during the Lord’s Supper. If you have trouble concentrating it might be well for you to change where you sit. It won’t hurt anything to move to another spot in the auditorium. This is just an external matter, but if it might help it is surely worth a try. Don’t create your own distractions. Don’t tear apart and braid the ribbons in the hymnbooks. Keep your phone turned off. Keep your mind focused on the cross and the meaning of the Lord’s memorial.

            Read those passages that are key to the Lord’s Supper, such as Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23 and John 19. Go through each of the crucifixion accounts and mark key words and phrases that remind you of what took place. The most important sacrifice that needs to be remembered is what Jesus did for us: “Do this in remembrance of me” (Lk. 22:19).