This is a modified re-post from last year. I love the video and I cannot top it, so I offer it again.

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Today all across this great land we call America, we pause to remember those who have fallen. We give thanks for their final sacrifice, for their love of country, and we say prayers for them, for their families, for the country they serve. We fly flags to honor their service, to observe our own dedication to America.

However, being the ever optimistic Americans we are, we have turned this day formerly known as Decoration Day into a nation wide party, a celebration of patriotism, family, summer’s promise, and just any old other thing we choose it to be, but in some places like our little town Memorial Day is still about the fallen servicemen and women who gave their lives for our country.

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First Lady Melania Trump leads a White House celebration, along with President Donald Trump, for the graduating class of 2020.

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Earlier today President Trump participated in a “Rolling to Remember Ceremony” honoring our nation’s veterans and POW/MIA. The motorcycle community celebrates the event each year in Washington DC. [Video and Transcript Below]

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[Transcript] – THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. And we really — you’re my friends and you’ve been supporting me right from the beginning. I appreciate that you’re here. And we’re here for you. And I told you, when you want to come back with your 600,000, we’re ready to take you. But you’re going to give us a little display on those beautiful bikes. And you’re going to be — I’ve never seen anyone do that actually. You must have special privileges. I’ve never seen anybody ride through here.

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Earlier today President Trump, First Lady Melania, Vice-President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence hosted a National Day of Prayer service in the Rose Garden of the White House. It was a very special event. [Video and Transcript Below]

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[Transcript] – THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Please. Thank you. Be seated, please. And, Melania, thank you very much, on the second anniversary of the BE BEST Initiative. You’ve done a fantastic job. And everybody appreciates it. But I want to — (applause) — thank you. And I want to thank you, on behalf of the entire nation, for all that you do for America’s children and on fighting the drug addiction problem that we have in this country. It’s all over the world. But I want to thank you very much. Great job you do. You work so hard.

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One of the unfortunate impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic is the elimination of most ceremonial gatherings for the 2020 graduating class.   Despite the inability to celebrate with gatherings of families and friends, President Trump and First Lady Melania send their congratulations to the graduates:

WHITE HOUSE – Congratulations on your upcoming graduation! The First Lady and I are very proud of you.

Over the past weeks and months, you, your classmates, teachers and administrators, and our Nation have experienced times of uncertainty and adversity. Much like our country, you have risen to the challenge with remarkable poise and determination, demonstrating the character traits that define the American spirit—resiliency, responsibility, and a stalwart drive to succeed.

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President Trump participates in a presidential ceremony to recognize heroism in combating the coronavirus pandemic. The event is titled: “hard work, heroism and hope” and the anticipated start time is 4:15pm ET.  [Video Added]

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Earlier today President Trump and First Lady Melania participated in a tree planting ceremony in recognition of Arbor Day (ie. Earth Day). [Video & Transcript below]

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[Transcript] – THE PRESIDENT: Hi, Mike. Hi. David, hi. Please, thank you. Everyone is very far away from each other. That’s good. We’re learning, right? Hi, Kevin. That’s really nice. Well, this is great to be here. And we’re doing something I love doing: planting trees. I’ve always loved it. And we get great trees.

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Gospel Jn 20:1-9

On the first day of the week,
Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.
For they did not yet understand the Scripture
that he had to rise from the dead.

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Earlier today President Trump participated in an Easter message with Bishop Harry Jackson from the Oval Office. [Video and Transcript Below]

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[Transcript] – THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you very much. On this Good Friday, Christians from all around the world remember the suffering and death upon the cross of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. At Easter Sunday, we will celebrate his glorious resurrection.

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At the end of the liturgy on Holy Thursday evening, in every Catholic Church around the world, the Blessed Sacrament is removed to the altar of repose, the altar is stripped, the church is bare, empty. Tomb-like. It is a striking and heartbreaking tradition, and I make sure to attend each year, to allow my heart to break, my tears to fall, my spirit to be clouded in gloom and dread, preparing for Good Friday, and Christ’s passion.

This year the priests will celebrate this Mass as they have most of the Masses throughout Lent, alone, without the faithful able to attend due to the Corona virus. Most churches are now closed to the faithful, although many congregations are able to worship online, have virtual Bible classes, and many other activities.

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