# Prayer for Our Troops – Memorial Day 2015
*2015-05-24*

> Bill Young reflects on his weekend visit to St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Charlotte and offers a prayer for the men and women serving in the military.

## Weekend Highlights

I spent Saturday in North Carolina attending a beautiful wedding. On Sunday I visited St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Charlotte, a strikingly beautiful and unique parish.

## A Unique Liturgical Experience

For the first time in many years I saw the Communion wine offered at the altar. The priest dipped the host into the wine, and the faithful could either kneel at the front or receive Communion from the ministers at the side. It was a reminder of the reverence of the Eucharist and the joy of kneeling in prayer.

## Father Patrick’s Homily

Father Patrick, the pastor, gave a wonderful Pentecost Sunday homily in which he spoke about the “153” and the perfect triangle—a scriptural theme I had never heard before. He mentioned that all of the parish’s homilies are posted online for anyone who wishes to listen.

## Prayer for Our Troops

Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the self‑less acts they perform in our time of need, and bring them home safely. May their sacrifice bring about lasting and just peace in those lands. I ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.