Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer for many of us, with family vacations and backyard barbeques on our minds.

Memorial Day is a time to reflect prayerfully on our U.S. military service members, on the tremendous gift of their service to our nation in preserving our constitutional way of life and our rights and freedoms which allow us to pursue the happiness that comes by living lives of virtue.

May we honor all those men and women who bravely served and who surrendered their very lives in military service throughout our history, including in present times.

Today and always, may we honor the fallen who have freely gone to their eternal rest, and who ensured that we remain one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.