The verse that immediately comes to my mind when thinking about Memorial Day is, John 15:13, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
Memorial Day is the day that we remember those who have fallen, whether in battle or in peacetime, who have sacrificed all simply for the sake of their fellow man's freedom. This day, in our culture, comes around once a year.
What will you do on Memorial Day? Some will have backyard cook outs. Some will go to the lake or beach. Some will go to a park for a picnic. Others will attend a parade or some other Memorial Day celebration, but our eternal destiny does not depend upon us doing any one particular thing on Memorial Day.
There is another memorial day, however, that is much more significant than the Memorial Day which we celebrate every year. This memorial day commemorates One who not only gave His life for his friends, but also for His enemies. (Romans 5:7-8) "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” This memorial day is not to remember those who have fallen in battle, but One who was triumphant over death. (Matthew 28:6) "He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” This Memorial Day doesn't come only one day a year, but comes every first day of the week, and is observed by those who are faithful Christians. What is this day of which I speak? It is Sunday, the first day of the week (Mark 16: 9), "Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.” which is also the Lord's Day. (Revelation 1:10) "I (John) was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.”
Yes, today is memorial day. The early Christians gathered upon the first day of the week to remember the Lord by partaking of the Lord's supper. (Acts 20:7), "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread.” Jesus said in Luke 22:19"…this do in remembrance of Me" and Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:24-25 reiterated this statement of Jesus in regard to the Lord's Supper as well. "And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me.” Yes, today is memorial day. When we eat of the bread and drink of the fruit of the vine, we do show the Lord’s death until He comes again. (1 Corinthians 11:26) We remember that He died for us; we remember that He was resurrected to live again. We remember that His physical death gave us spiritual life that we might live with Him. (1 Thessalonians 5:10), "Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.” Yes, today is memorial day as well as next Sunday, and the Sunday after that; each first day of the week, we observe the memorial of our Lord’s death.