Ambivalent Gratitudes

Led by Rev. Jay Atkinson, pulpit guest. The homecoming of war veterans presents many of us with tensions between gratitude for their service and belief in our country’s ideals on the one hand, and grave doubts about the legitimacy of our military action in Iraq and Afghanistan on the other. In addition, many veterans return more in need of compassion and healing than of traditional bombastic displays of military honor. As we look forward to Memorial Day later this month, how should our various gratitudes to them be nuanced and balanced against our legitimate prophetic protest against war and militarism?