LINGAYEN— Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas cited the veterans’ memories of heroism, freedom and peace, recalling “the glorious days of Filipinos.”

Villegas said people should thank God for the gift of memory because it is “a gift… an invitation…. a promise,” Villegas said in his homily during the Mass at the Veterans Park for the 73^rd anniversary of the historic Lingayen Gulf Landings here.

“When our memory fails in the mind, may the memory of the heart always make us grateful,” he said as he paid tribute to war veterans by thanking them for the chance to reminisce the past and be thankful for it.

Villegas lauded the veterans’ valor and spirit for making Pangasinan history filled with memory of bravery and patriotism.

“Sa ating mga beterano, maraming-maraming salamat po. Binibigyan ninyo kami ng pagkakataon na balikan ang nakalipas at magpasalamat sa nakalipas. Sa ngalan po ng bayang nagpapasalamat, mano po sa inyong lahat… paggalang po sa inyong lahat at ipanalangin niyo po kami upang ang alaalang inyong iniwan ay gawin naming hamon para sa kasalukuyan” Villegas said.

He enjoined today’s generation to preserve the peace that the memory of the veterans’ sacrifices the veterans fought for.

“We are called to stand up and to live that freedom, preserve that freedom,” he added as he stressed that Filipinos “who are able to enjoy a country without war, should be able to stand up as veterans during peace.”

He added, “The glory of the past is we can bring it into the future and the future is bright because they have stood up in the past”. (Eva Visperas/PIO)

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