May 06, 2022 – Friday
1 Corinthians 11:23-25 NIV
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,
24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
Comment.
The verses above are read almost every Sunday at church for communion with a focus on This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me as well as This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me. In both cases Paul is quoting Jesus at the last supper.
If we look at the word remembrance, it does not mean simply in memory of, but in an affectionate calling of the Person Himself to mind per Vine’s Expository Dictionary. This word was heavy on my mind today as I attended a memorial service at the USAF Museum for 21 lives lost on May 6, 1981 in the crash of an ARIA (Apollo / Advanced Range Instrumented Aircraft) aircraft, tail number 328, over Walkersville, Maryland. Of the 21 who died that morning I knew sixteen of them, many of them friends, and one my best friend at the time.
The MC for the memorial was Robert “Bob” Beach. He must have said we will never forget, never four to six times. These were people we knew. Except for the two wives on board and the civilian technician I had personally flown with all the others at one time or another as a fellow crew member or worked with them back at Wright Patterson AFB. Whenever we would have unit parties or get togethers, the song We Are Family was always played with everyone joining in on the We Are Family and doing it loudly.
We were indeed a family. You cannot fly to many locations around the world in aircraft full of electronics without becoming family. Today when a color guard from Wayne High School presented the flag, we all stood erect with hands over our hearts and said the pledge of allegiance. Tears ran down my face. Many of those there came well after the crash to fly ARIA. Plus there were wives, brothers, sisters, children, and even a few grandchildren. Over fifty in all. Many of the family from 1981 have passed on to eternity to join the twenty one who met their maker on that day.
I, like so many there, did not just remember those lost 41 years ago, but had a truly affectionate calling of memories of them and time spent with them.
Bottom Line: Treasure your friends and especially your family. Hold them in remembrance.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for giving me the gift of remembrance. – In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
RileyD, nwJ
Riley D. Driver – Pastor
Calvary Chapel of Dayton