Come & Go
theophilus November 27th, 2007
Americans can be so arrogant and complacent.
No, this post isn’t some political diatribe from the U.N., Europe or the “Hate America” crowd. It’s coming from a red-blooded, patriotic America-is-the-best American.
It’s coming from an American who has read today’s reading from Daniel 2 and today’s gospel from Luke 21. Both allude to nations rising and nations falling – civilizations thriving and civilizations disintegrating.
The history of the world is littered with stories of peoples who achieved heights of greatness – only to find themselves looking up under the weight of another’s power – whether it be good or bad.
I am an unabashedly patriotic American because I believe we truly use our power for good – to liberate, make free, improve, enrich and empower other peoples. We go in, do our job, leave, and – 9 times out of 10 – another nation’s people are better off because we cared enough to get involved.
But have we grown too complacent – too arrogant – too afraid – too comfortable – too timid? Have we stopped believing in our goodness, our mission, our purpose?
We have always believed that God has a special purpose for us as a people. This sentiment is embodied so well in the Declaration of Independence. President Reagan summed it up when he referred to a description made of America by John Winthrop, an early Pilgrim. They described America as the “Shining City on the Hill”alluding to Matthew 5.
In his farewell address, President Reagan described what he saw when he had talked about this Shining City throughout his service to our nation -
“[I]n my mind it was a tall proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind-swept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace, a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity, and if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here. That’s how I saw it and see it still.”
So, how do we see it – our Shining City? Do we have the optimism of our forefathers? Do we have the strength and the will to do the right thing? Do we still believe in the American Dream and the American Ideal? Are we willing “to pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty”(President Kennedy’s Inaugural Address)?
I believe that civilizations fall either because they are evil or have out-lived their usefulness in the eyes of God.
We are not evil – but are we in danger of outliving our usefulness?
Daniel alludes to such when he interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in today’s reading:
“[I]t shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and put an end to them . . .”
And, Christ referred to the same when he said -
“All that you see here – the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”
As Americans, let us never forget how good we have it – and how quickly it can be taken away. If we fail to continue to live up to our potential and purpose - generation after generation – without fail - we will find ourselves lamenting how much we have lost.
President Lincoln understood this very real scenario on the eve of the Civil War, when he said in his 1st Inaugural Address -
“I am loth to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stre[t]ching from every battle-field, and patriot grave, to every living heart and hearthstone, all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”
Let us reflect today – are we living up to the covenant that God has made with us? Are we doing the very best we can to build that “Shining City on the Hill”, to live by the “better angels of our nature”, and to do all we can to “assure the survival and success of liberty”?
Or, are we losing our way? Giving up? Not really caring? Not really believing anymore in why we are here as a nation – as a people?
Nations come and go – nothing is guaranteed – let us never forget this simple truth.
Let us never stop showing the rest of the world our generosity, our courage, and our firm conviction that all peoples should live in liberty and freedom.
Let us never stop showing our gratitude and our willingness to sacrifice for the common good of our fellow man - whether they be American or not.
Let us never stop believing that we are here for a greater good and a higher calling - we are here to be that “Shining City on the Hill”.
Our forefathers and foremothers, and God himself, expect as much from us. Shouldn’t we expect the same of ourselves?
- Culture , Faith , God's Call , Liturgy , U.S.A.
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