Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff invocation prayer at Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall for Veterans Day 2022

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Almighty God,

We pray, reflect, meditate in different ways,

But today, together, honor our brave, our heroes, The veterans of what must remain a grateful nation.

On this date, in 1918,

11th day, 11th month, 11th hour of the day,

We signed the Armistice to end the First World War “The war to end all wars,” we prayed.

But other wars would follow, many more would serve, So Armistice Day, renamed, reborn -- now Veterans Day, Salutes all those who served, who answered duty’s call.

We pledged to honor those who honored us

Through their sacrifice and service,

But too many times we failed,

Too many times we broke faith with those who served, We broke faith with those who died.

40 years ago we built this wall

This wall of memory, this wall of healing,

To remember lives we lost in Vietnam,

But more than that:

To remember vows we made, and debts we owe

To all veterans, their families, to those who serve today.

We ask forgiveness from those we’ve failed in the past,

And renew our solemn vow to welcome home–truly welcome home- all those who served,

With grateful words and caring hearts,

And every action we can take, every dollar we can spend,

Knowing far too well our debts can never be repaid in full,

And some wounds of war will never truly heal.

May we remember, as has been said,

We’re the land of the free only so long as we are the home of the brave,

And we must forever thank the brave who keep us free.

Grant us faith to keep our dreams alive

That thanks to those we honor here today

At this wall of healing and of hope --

This safe space that became for us a sacred space – One day we’ll beat our swords to ploughshares And war will be no more.

And let us say Amen.