Thomas Griffin 6/6/23
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On June 6, 1944 over 160,00 troops were sent to the shores of Normandy, France to accomplish one mission: take control of the beach. The Allies needed a more efficient route to end Hitler’s reign of terror and Normandy was the best option. Countless hours were spent on preparing and strategizing for this epic invasion. The sacrifices and effects of this day echo throughout all of history. It was important because it was difficult. Their “impossible” victory was brought about through unimaginable trials.
The Ally Generals for sure, and many of the soldiers, would have known what they were facing as they stepped into their boats early on that June morning. It was very likely that many of the soldiers that day would never make it back home, and they would never see their families or loved ones again. This could not have simply been blind courage on the part of the soldiers or the generals. They were being sent into the direct line of fire; they would literally be staring down thousands of bullets.
German artillery lined the shoreline with machine guns that fired close to 1,500 bullets a minute. That is 25 bullets a second. The Germans nicknamed this gun, “the bone saw.” Knowledge of the German guns and the low probability that they could actually take the beach was real; knowledge that they could die was real. Death and blood was never so real that day on those beaches in France. However, the Generals in charge decided to send them anyway because they knew what was at stake; they knew that if they took the beach they would very likely win the war. The price to pay would be huge but the victory would be even more tremendous.
If the generals and most of the soldiers involved knew what they were facing then they must have had good reason to storm the beaches anyway. When the Generals drew up the plan for the battle and they received the intelligence about what they were facing they were probably moved to give up, but they went forward with the plans anyway. When the troops entered the boats on that morning in 1944 they must have been scared to death, but they went anyway. When those men jumped into those waters on the coast of France and were forced to dodge those bullets they must have thought about only one thing: I must storm the beach; we must win this battle.
The challenges they faced on all sides was what defined their greatness. Everyone involved stared down the obstacles and guns in their way and went anyway. The troops stormed the beaches that day and thousands lost their lives. Their blood was not shed in vain. Most scholars agree that taking the beach that day changed the tides of the war and in many ways led to the defeat of Germany. We have our freedoms today because thousands of men would not let trials and hard times define them or their future.
Facing difficult moments in life should scare us. Heroes are not those who blindly go into battle; heroes are those who stare down the gunfire, they stare down their D-Day beach, and they storm it anyway. When challenging times are on the horizon, we must always keep in mind the emblem of our Catholic faith: the cross. The image that summarizes our religion is our leader, our God hanging lifeless on a Roman execution device. Suffering is real and it is a part of life but it is something that we never endure alone. Christ always remains with us, looking at us, revealing that his love is greater than any suffering or pain.
Death is not the end. Good Friday always leads to the empty tomb. The bloodshed on the beach leads to the conquering of evil and darkness. Running towards the darkness is scary, but running away from it never leads to renewal.
So, what is your beach? What flaw, sin, addiction or broken relationship are you being called to face head-on?
The route to a fulfilling life is forged on the beach.
Make your way towards it, and storm it.
Thomas Griffin is the chairperson of the religion department at a Catholic high school on Long Island where he lives with his wife and two sons. He has a masters degree in theology and is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Empty Tomb Project: The Magazine.
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