The Last Full Measure

Remembering the sacrifices of our military

05/26/2025

John 15:26—16:4a Jesus said to his disciples: "When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning. "I have told you this so that you may not fall away. They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God. They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me. I have told you this so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you."

The greatest movie of all time is undoubtedly “Star Trek II: the Wrath of Khan.” That is my totally unbiased opinion. There is a brief, apparently inconsequential, scene where Spock does a quick mild-meld with Bones (the doctor). But later we learn that scene serves as the basis of the sequel, “Star Trek III: the Search for Spock.” During that crucial encounter, Spock touches the doctor’s face with three fingers and whispers the word, “Remember.”

And in a matter of second, all Spock’s past life – his joys and sorrows, his hopes and aspiration, his friends and failures, in a word his entire personality – passes into Bones’ own mind, as if he had lived Spock’s life. And after Spock sacrifices his life to save the starship, Bones becomes the reservoir of remembering everything Spock was.

Today is Memorial day here in the United States, and we are also to remember the ultimate sacrifices the men and women in the military made for us. They died fearlessly so we could live freely and fully. In a sense, today represents what Spock’s mind-meld was with Bones. That is, we should remember – Memorial Day, Memory Day – all the hopes and dreams, fears and friendships, etc. – of those brave servicemen and women.

Like Bones we become the reservoirs and receptacles of their personalities, and why they gave “the last full measure of devotion,” to borrow Lincoln’s hallowed phrase. You may know I have a nephew named Isaac John Antony – yes, he carries my name – who is currently a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He graduated from West Point in 2022, was stationed in Poland for 9 months, and is presently quartered at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas.

Incidentally, Fort Bliss is named for Brevetted Lt. Col. William Wallace Smith Bliss, who was President Zachary Taylor’s son-in-law. Bliss married Taylor’s youngest daughter, Mary Elizabeth. As you all know there is a monument to Zachary Taylor here at I.C. in front of the chimney of Zachary Taylor’s home.

While Taylor was Major General, Bliss was his chief of staff. So, it is entirely possible both Taylor and Bliss worked together here in Fort Smith. And that is a cool connection for 1st Lieutenant Isaac John Antony currently stationed at Fort Bliss, and Fr. John Antony, currently stationed in Fort Smith.

But getting back to my homily – which we have not really left – these are the sorts of life details we are charged to remember about our men and women in uniform. What kind of people were they? Where did they come from, whom did they marry, and how did their lives end? What were their exploits on and off the battlefield? At least today – on Memory Day – we should fulfill our role as reservoirs and remember their willingness to make “the last full measure of devotion.”

Naturally, for us Catholic Christians there is a profound parallel with Memorial Day too, namely, every Eucharist is a memorial. Indeed, it is far more: not just a mental remembering but a miraculous representation of Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary for the sake of our salvation. In other words, because Jesus gave "the last full measure of devotion" on the cross, you and I can enjoy the full “freedom of the children of God” (Rm 8:21).

My friends, can you hear the F35 jets flying overhead here in Fort Smith? Some people find them annoying and perhaps even petitioned not to have that training happen here because it disrupts our peaceful lives. But the U.S. Air Force is training pilots from around the world, especially from Poland.

One of those Polish pilots even comes to daily Mass here at I.C. and you may have seen his slender figure in military uniform as he comes up for Holy Communion. Last week he asked me how he could get in touch with Fr. Henry, a Polish priest here in Fort Smith, and I directed him to Mercy Crest, where Fr. Henry lives.

I am sure that Polish aviator has an amazing history. He is clearly a devout Roman Catholic, makes a point to come to daily Mass, and wanted to meet a Polish priest of our diocese. And somehow God’s providence brought him for a time to Fort Smith, Arkansas. I hope I will have a chance to know him better before the day he has to give “the last full measure of devotion” for his country. So that I may remember him on Memorial Day.

Praised be Jesus Christ!