Good afternoon. It’s an honor for Sergeant Major and me to be here with you to take part in the Marine Corps’ Annual Worship Service. Thank you to everyone who played a part in this wonderful service, especially to the Cathedral Staff, the readers, the choir, and our Color Guard.

Special thanks to Rear Admiral Cash, and the office of the Chaplain of the Marine Corps. Our Chaplains and religious ministry personnel are invaluable to the Marine Corps and our families. Thank you for what you do every day to support us. Today, we gather not just to commemorate another year in the storied history of the United States Marine Corps, but to reflect on the spiritual foundation that underpins our service. 

As we celebrate our 249th birthday here today, we are reminded of the meaning of our motto: Semper Fidelis, the significance of our Core Values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment, and the importance of spiritual fitness – finding “Inner Strength From Higher Purpose” in our lives as Marines.

Each year, we dedicate time to celebrate the Marine Corps’ birthday with various traditions—cake-cuttings, birthday balls, wreath-layings, and “moto” runs. But beyond these ceremonies, we also pause to reflect on who we are and why we serve. 

We trace our lineage back to the Marines who walked the same path in previous generations, and reflect on the ethos that defines our Corps. Whenever I think about that ethos, our motto always stands out to me: Semper Fidelis—Always Faithful.

It’s a phrase that we use in every context, from greetings to farewells and from shouts of celebration to solemn statements when honoring the fallen. It represents the faith we place in the Marine on our left and our right. It shows the faith we place in our Corps and in something greater than ourselves. And for many, it is also the faith we place in God.

It is with that faithfulness that we confront the challenges of an uncertain world, and this in turn allows us to bear any burden with the understanding that our fellow Marines will not let us down. But being Always Faithful demands something from us as well: Living up to our Core Values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment.

For Marines, our values are forged in the crucible of adversity, they grow stronger with experience and maturity, and they are tested in the heat of battle and the quiet moments of personal reflection. Honor, Courage, and Commitment remain foundational to who we are as Marines. 

If we cannot live up to our Core Values and their meaning, nothing else will matter. Honor is the bedrock of our character. It is the commitment to integrity, to doing what is right, and to upholding the highest standards of conduct. 

Courage is the strength to face and overcome fear, to stand up for what is right, and to act with bravery in the face of adversity. And Commitment is the dedication to our Corps, to our mission, and to each other. 

It is the promise to always strive for excellence and never leave a Marine behind. Through our adherence to Faithfulness and our Core Values we arrive at some of the most important work we as individuals and leaders must accomplish: Developing the Spiritual Fitness of ourselves and of our Marines.   

In the Marine Corps, we heavily emphasize mental and physical fitness – our toughness and discipline – but as our Chaplain Corps often reminds us, our Spiritual Fitness is just as critical. Here is what Spiritual Fitness means in five words: Inner Strength From Higher Purpose.  

Let me say that again: Inner Strength From Higher Purpose.   

As the name states, this Higher Purpose is not merely a religious practice – though that helps; it includes the strength of our Core Values, the depth of our personal convictions, and the resilience of our spirit.

In the Marine Corps we have tests for everything, but there is no PFT for Spiritual Fitness – but, I believe it is something we must commit to every day. Then, when difficult times come – and they will – you and your Marines will be prepared to weather any storm.  

So just like we don’t show up to the PFT without training beforehand, Inner Strength From Higher Purpose must be cultivated daily through personal reflection, practicing one’s faith, and living our Core Values. 

So today, we pray for the Spiritual Fitness of our Marines, at home and abroad. We ask that they are strengthened to live as people of Honor, Courage, and Commitment, to embody the values that define us, and to continue to espouse the principles that we hold dear.

We pray for the resilience to face the challenges ahead, the faith to endure the trials that come our way, and the hope to see us through the darkest nights. We pray for the wisdom to make the right choices, the integrity to stand for what is right, and the fidelity to support each other through thick and thin.

As we leave here today, let us remember the words of our motto: Semper Fidelis—Always Faithful. Let us be faithful to our Corps, to our country, and to each other. Let us be faithful to our values, our convictions, and our beliefs. Let us be faithful to the Marines who came before us and to those who will follow in our footsteps.

Thank you all for your service and dedication to our great Nation. 

God bless you all.  Semper Fidelis.