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The Army is my chosen profession, and I have dedicated almost two decades of my life in service to our great nation.
Now I can happily say that I also serve God. Army life is challenging, and we tend to be deployed to locations worldwide where a majority of people would never want to be. Some would think that being in combat, with its destruction of lives and property, would pull us away from God, but for me the opposite is true—it has made me much closer.
On my second deployment to Iraq in as many years, I was blessed to be assigned to a unit that has an outstanding chaplain. Before the deployment, my wife and I got to know him and quickly realized that God had blessed us with this priest. Usually Catholic priests in Iraq were rare, and combat operations precluded attending Mass on any kind of a regular basis. This deployment was blessedly different.
Daily Mass. In addition to the weekly Masses, our chaplain provided us the wonderful opportunity to take part in daily Mass. At first I went as an example to our troops, but I soon found myself loving the Lord more and more through the Eucharist and the Church. Our priest and small congregation assembled as our schedules allowed, and we soon branched off into further Bible studies to enrich our faith. While the congregation came and went due to various missions, in the sea of chaos we had the constant of the Mass.
Our jobs in Iraq are stressful and nonstop all the time. Daily Mass strengthened us and provided a refuge from the daily grind. I soon found myself yearning for the Eucharist each day, because it allowed me to focus on the all-important goal of encountering Jesus and it helped me to rise above the demands of the day.
Challenges to Our Faith. In a deployed environment, there are many challenges to that faith. Since time is such a rare and precious commodity, it would be much easier to find excuses to not attend Mass or Bible study. Those are the days that it is so much more the reason to listen to God’s word—and God not only hears our challenges, but he rewards us by recharging our souls and having us look at our daily lives in a different light. Those are the days that are especially rewarding.
The Word Among Us magazine was always there to assist us on our Catholic journey. The magazine is a guiding comfort for those who are deployed. It is even more important for those service men and women who are not supported by priests, either because of the small size of their operating base or because they are too far from the all-too-few Catholic priests.
A Moment of Peace. My faith was further deepened on an otherwise normal day in March. While on a combat patrol, my vehicle was hit by an explosive device. As this was not the first time I have been personally attacked, I knew what to expect. In the split second between the bright flash and the explosion with its accompanying noise, I had a complete moment of clarity. In that extremely brief and everlasting moment, I was prepared for God’s will, come what may. It was a moment of peace that I still cannot put into words, nor do I need to. Authors far more eloquent than me have written about God’s word and the kingdom that we shall inherit. I knew at that moment that I was ready, and it was an incredible revelation and a feeling of absolute peace.
Leaving Iraq was not hard. Leaving my friends in Christ was. I now imagine myself as a better Catholic who yearns to learn more about our faith and our Lord.
Yes daily Mass can be the “pause that refreshes” and replenishs the soul wherever you are or whatever you are doing.
Maj.Taylor thanks for reminding me
God bless you and all our men and women in our armed forces!
Paul
I was really touched by this article. My oldest son recently graduated from Marine Corps boot camp and is home on leave before heading to infantry training. I will make sure he reads this before he ships out. So hard to put your children in harms way but knowing they will be in the company of people like Maj. Taylor puts my mind at ease.
Wonderful article. It makes me sad to hear that Catholic priests are so few and far between overseas, but his (and His) impact on your life are a refreshing story.
As a cadet at USMA, hearing stories about one’s faith overseas assuages fears near and dear to our hearts. Thanks for your honesty and openness.
--- Devon