Hero Flight

One night not long ago, SFC McG and I were outside the wire so I could conduct religious services elsewhere. We'd actually spent quite a long time on aircraft getting there, though map-wise it wasn't all that far away from our home base. We had to fly up to a place quite distant from home, wait around all day, and then catch a flight that made four stops (including a refueling stop, so everyone has to exit the aircraft) before we got where we were going.

Sometimes it's just like that over here.

The time for Mass had changed several times, later and later, and we landed even a bit late from what the final schedule indicated. Despite all that, a good-sized congregation had gathered, and sang heartily as we began the liturgy.

I love old hymn tunes because they tend to be very congregation-friendly (they're easy to pick up if not well-known at first, they don't usually have crazy, unsingable intervals, or odd and difficult rhythms).

Because we'd started late, I didn't think much of it when a number of people left the service before we'd finished.

I found out later that they'd left because they'd just been told that a Soldier from their unit had been killed in action moments before.

Much later that night, after some other things transpired, SFC McG and I found ourselves flying in the second of the two aircraft which comprised the Hero Flight which began that Soldier's final trip home.

It was a moving and humbling experience.

Blessings and peace to one and all,


Fr. Tim, SJ

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