Sgt. Israel Garcia 1.19.84 - 7.13.8

Invocation

O God, you created the peoples of the earth to serve you in freedom and in peace. In honoring one man today, Sergeant Israel Garcia, we are reminded of all those who have served in the military and lost their lives in both wartime and peacetime, knowing full-well, that their sacrifices have made our nation stronger and have protected the liberty and freedom that we all enjoy.

We thank you for the torch of liberty which has been lit in this land and has drawn people from every nation, especially remembering the Mexican heritage of Sergeant Garcia and his family .

We thank you for the twenty-four years that Sergeant Israel Garcia spent here among us, and we especially remember his acts of patriotism, unselfish service, and sacrifice, as we honor him today.

Open our eyes, ears, and minds to what we will see and hear today. But most important, open our hearts so that we may show our love, honor, and respect for the service and sacrifice of this brave soldier and our highest appreciation and admiration for the family who raised him and the friends that supported him as he gave all, including his life, to honor his country.

We offer this prayer to the great God of all Creation.

Amen

Blessing:

Almighty God, creator and preserver of this world, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad.

We ask your blessings upon this nation of men and women who enjoy the benefits of the freedom won and preserved under the vigilance of those who, like Sergeant Israel Garcia, have given all, including their lives, to preserve the blessings of freedom.

Bless Israel?s parents, Victoria and Maricruz Garcia, his brother Ramsses, his wife Lesly, and their families and friends. Help them through their moments of sorrow and grief with the remembrance of the courage, valor and bravery that their husband, son, friend, and brother showed both on and off the battlefield.

Bless Israel?s comrades of the 2nd Batallion, 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Protect them as they serve and defend.

Finally, may we leave this ceremony of honor remembering that liberty does not come without a price. In his courage and valor, Sergeant Garcia paid the ultimate price. May we forever keep in our hearts and minds the memory of this one man who gave his all. May his life be to us a symbol of the strength, courage, and attitude of selfless sacrifice and service that makes this nation, under God, shine as a beacon of liberty, equality, and justice for all the world to see.

Amen