Hong T. Chin, 1922—2009

There is something very dignified about the burial of an American veteran. Yesterday I, along with the brothers and cousins, carried my grandfather’s casket and laid it above the burial site. I held back the tears as the army guard came to flank the casket opposite the side where I was standing with my brothers and cousins. One stood at attention and saluted my grandfather as the bugler played Taps. They removed the flag covering the casket, folded it in silence, and then presented it to my grandmother.

Yesterday, my grandfather made me proud to be an American again. In these past couple years, I had nearly forgotten what that felt like.

My grandfather served as a rifleman in the army’s 29th Infantry Division during World War II. He disembarked on the beaches of Normandy in the second wave, was wounded by shrapnel at St. Lô, and received the Purple Heart medal. He was always proud of his service to his new country, but he didn’t talk about it much. In fact, he never talked much about himself. For him, others always came first.

Earlier on Monday, friends and relatives of my grandfather streamed into the funeral home. I met quite a few new people, many of whom gave accounts of my grandfather’s kindness and generosity. Of course, I had always known that my grandfather was kind and generous, but it was only in the past two days that I found how many people’s lives he had touched. Yesterday at the memorial service, the funeral home was packed.

On Easter Sunday, 2002, both my grandparents received Christ as their Lord and Savior and were baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. My grandfather was eighty years old. I look back on that day with joy, because it is the only source of hope that we have for those who have gone ahead. Because we who are in Christ do not grieve as those who have no hope.

1 Peter 1:22-25

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for

“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord remains forever.”

And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

A man’s life is but a breath. It is soon over. But those who are in Jesus Christ have an eternity to live for, since they are born of an imperishable seed. The word of the Lord remains, and his promises are sure. My grandfather will be missed by many today, but for us, our reunion is only a breath away.

But even that is not the end. For we were not saved to be with God only as disembodied spirits. The same body that I saw lying in that casket will one day rise again, in a glorified state. Just as my grandfather shared in Christ’s death and burial in baptism, he must also share Christ’s resurrection and glorification.

1 Corinthians 15:17-23

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.