Psalm 33:12-15
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.
The Lord looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men.
From the place of His dwelling He looks
On all the inhabitants of the earth;
He fashions their hearts individually;
He considers all their works.”
On the morning of September 11, 2001, I caught sight of my neighbor, a flagpole with Old Glory held firmly in his hand, marching defiantly down the long driveway to his mailbox where he wedged it securely in place to fly triumphantly for the next three months. Our own flag was hung by the front door and more flags all across the land from coast to coast, in cities and townships, and even on vehicles made their appearance. With patriotism running high, that much-needed symbol was displayed proudly to honor our stricken country and those cut down that day, most staying in place for many months until they became battered by winter storms.
Today we celebrate Flag Day, which commemorates the adoption, in 1777, of the Stars and Stripes as the official symbol of the United States. There is much for us to learn about the creation of this remarkable piece of fabric, the symbol of our freedom. Most are familiar with the fact that the stars stand for the number of states in the union and the stripes for the original thirteen colonies. In addition, the colors were deliberately chosen to represent a theme that our founding fathers felt was important as our new nation was established:
• Red stands for the courage it took for all those who fought for our nation’s independence and the blood that was shed.
• White stands for purity which symbolizes our independence from other countries, and the vigilance required to be free of being corrupted by another country.
• Blue stands for justice and perseverance, the basis of our country and what it takes to keep us strong.
Our family has a rich military history with many of our relatives being honored with interment in Arlington National Cemetery. One of the most meaningful parts of the burial service is the ceremonial flag-folding and presentation to the next of kin. There is symbolism behind each fold and tuck: positioning the flag so the red, which stands for the bloodshed, is hidden whereas the blue and white stars, which stand for perseverance and vigilance, are visible; the triangle shape symbolizes the hat worn by Revolutionary soldiers, to whom we owe our freedom and rights. Each fold also has a special meaning:**
• Fold One – Symbol of life
• Fold Two – Symbol of belief in eternal life
• Fold Three – Honor and remembrance of veterans
• Fold Four – Symbol of our weaker nature
• Fold Five – Tribute to the United States of America
• Fold Six – Symbol of our hearts and devotion
• Fold Seven – Tribute to the Armed Forces
• Fold Eight – For those who went into the “Valley of the Shadow of Death”
• Fold Nine – Tribute to womanhood and its giving and nurturing nature
• Fold Ten – Tribute to our fathers who gave their sons to protect our land
• Fold Eleven – Dedication to Jews and represents the bottom of the Seal of King David and King Solomon
• Fold Twelve – Represents the Christian and glorifies God.
As the song says, “You’re a grand old flag, you’re a high-flying flag, and forever in peace may you wave. You’re the emblem of the land I love, the home of the free and the brave.” On this Flag Day, may we fly it high, proudly, freely, bravely, and in peace!
Lord God, we acknowledge that our freedom comes from You alone and that our forefathers depended on You to establish our great nation. Thank you that we live in a sweet land of liberty unlike any other. May we never take our freedom and our flag, the symbol of our freedom, for granted. Amen.
**The twelve folds illustrated above are symbolic in nature and are not part of official US Veteran burial ceremonies.
