May the blessings we receive keep us ever in the graces of God and in our spiritual lives. As we live “For God and Country,” we continue to build upon the dreams of the American Legion.
Throughout life many face challenges that lead to asking questions such as: Why me? How did I get into the mess I am in? What do I have to do to find relief? and many more questions that have no definitive answer. Where then do we go for answers and for relief? The American Legion is founded on the principle, “For God and Country.” For those of us who have served, the concept of serving our country is easy. We all took an oath to protect and defend the constitution and our nation. We were willing to sacrifice our bodies and our very lives to protect the freedoms we have here at home. But what about the part, “For God…”? Marya Hayes defined patriotism expressed by our military as: “love for or devotion to one's country. A patriot is a person who loves, supports, and defends his or her country and its interests with devotion. Let us face it, one way or another we were given the gift of our country. All gifts come from our Creator.” At our foundation then is the belief in a creator who provides for us all the things we have and value. But for this to be true one must have faith that God, who is defined differently for different people, must be the impetus for our desire to serve our country both in the military and as a veteran.
So, then it is important to have a foundation based on faith. But what is faith? At its core faith is the trust or confidence in something that guides each of us to live moral lives. We experience humility and a desire to be there for others because we believe it is the right or moral thing to do. For many, faith is the cornerstone of their religious beliefs, which can cover a wide variety of beliefs. But one can also have faith and not believe in God or have doubts about the existence of God. Wrathall wrote, “When it comes to serving others, faith is arguably a better motivator than belief. Trust and confidence in God will sustain us . . . even when we are struggling and doubting.”As members of the American Legion, we traditionally hold that God is the foundation of all things, and we hold that whether veterans have a belief in God they are to be recognized for the service commitment they have made to serve their country. That means that faith is also the belief that our comrades will serve honorably during military service and seek opportunities to be of service to each other. Here lie the answers to the questions posed earlier. The American Legion through its local Posts seeks to meet the needs of veterans, their families, our communities, and the nation. Through service we are able to meet many of the needs of those who sacrificed for our nation. There we find the cornerstone of faith. Faith in each other.It is that faith in honorable service and the commitment to service, both military and civilian, that is at the heart of the American Legion belief that we serve, “For God and Country.” Let each of us always use our faith, no matter its foundation, for the betterment of the lives of our veterans, their families, our communities, and our country. It is this foundation that demonstrates the commitment of the American Legion members to meet the needs of others.
It is an honor to be of service to the American Legion, Sam Houston Post 95, District 7 and to you.
If I can assist in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me at 832-381-7788 or at Redwine202010@outlook.com
Together in service and unity we serve those who need assistance.
May the Blessings of God Be with you All.
For God and Country,
Richard Henriksen Jr., Ph.D., District 7 Chaplain, Sam Houston Post 95 Chaplain