There is no true compensation for military service

Soldiering is an occupation for which you can never really pay anyone.

I mean all military service, of course. Yes, we remunerate military service members, but ontologically the money has no relationship to that for which we reward them.

Civilian employers can compensate somebody for hours or weeks of time and energy, products and services, education, training and so forth, but morally there can be no equivalence between money on the one hand and, on the other, walking voluntarily up to the threat of death and pounding on the door so that the rest of us don?t have to.

The same is true for other callings like police officers and firefighters. Such a job is truly a vocation.

Monday is Memorial Day, when we will pause to remember those who have died embodying the Gospel verse above. It should be both a patriotic and spiritual event, more than an occasion for a furniture sale or a barbecue. (By the way, Veterans? Day is different ? that?s for those of us who have done our bit and are still alive.)

The transcendent importance of such sacrifice, and of honoring it, does not perish. I was reminded of it just yesterday while watching The Avengers movie.

In the film, one of the characters dies while valiantly battling the forces of evil. His noble death inspires his comrades selflessly to fight on to victory. Later, Colonel Fury, when asked why he has faith that such heroes will again come to our aid in the future, says, ?Because we will need them to.?

Our souls? need for salvation impels us to treasure the heroic spirit of those who incarnate the meaning of Christian love, which is that the true follower of Jesus values the dignity of others and realizes that their needs are more important than his own.

So we pause between the ribs and the chicken, as we plop down on the new patio chair. And we pray for those warriors who knew that their impulse and imperative was not to ?reason why,? as Tennyson wrote; ?theirs but to do and die.?

But I am especially inspired and comforted spiritually by the faith that, from their place by Our Lord?s side, they are praying for us.

?There is no greater love than to lay down one?s life for one?s friends.? - John 15:13

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