Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Scripture Readings

Reflection on Scripture

This weekend we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation. As the country grew from the thirteen original colonies to a nation that encompassed the land between the two great oceans, the Atlantic and Pacific, there was a mounting need for people to come and colonize the existing and the new territories of the growing nation.

The people came from all parts of Europe, looking for the fulfillment of the promise Jesus made, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened and I will give you rest.”

The people came, leaving behind family, friends, and century old traditions to find the rest and peace Jesus promised. They came alone and with families. Some came and left family behind so that could establish themselves in a new land and prepare a home for those left behind.

The people came with a small duffle and the clothes on their back. They came with little or no money. They came to escape hunger, persecution, tyranny, and oppression. They came with mountains of hope and a small dream that finally the Lord had heard the cry of the poor.

They came from Germany, Ireland, Italy, and all parts of Europe. They came, not looking for handouts, but for the opportunity to work and to be compensated for their work. They came because of the stories of the streets paved with gold but did not come to be rich, they came to find rest from their burdens.

I often reflect on the founding of republic. Columbus had a theory that he could reach India go West and he could find a shorter trading route. He was turned down by monarchs and government leaders until the Spanish monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, listened and funded his expedition. Initially, the motivation was the command to spread the Gospel to all corners of the earth. If places existed that had not been evangelized, then the message should be delivered.

Later, when valuable mineral deposits and all varieties of unknown fruits and vegetables were discovered, the pure intentions of evangelization became tainted with the desires of greed and wealth.

Columbus set sail with three ship, the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. Two ships perished during the journey and the Santa Maria survived the journey, a prelude to the Americas one day being dedicated to the Queenship of Mary, Mother of God.

Columbus landed in what today is the Dominican Republic and the site of his landing was named Santo Domingo, Holy God. Later journeys discovered the lands of the North and South continents of America.

As the colonies, under British came into being, the citizens, relying on their established beliefs, found it intolerable to exist under the watchful eye of a military and tyrannical monarch. On July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia, the colonies declared their independence from England and the next two hundred and fifty years is a part of history.

We mistakenly assume that the founding fathers were Christian. Most of them were not Christian. They were deist whose belief in God was intertwined with nature and referred to in the founding documents as nature’s God.

But I believe that the Holy Spirit was at work in the hearts and minds of the founding fathers. The great Christian experiment in Europe was now in disarray, with schism, protestant reformation, and many wars being waged in the name of and against Christianity. It was time for change and God poured out His Spirit on this new nation.

If you have doubts, then let me remind you, that a near perfect Constitution was written by a group of intelligent men that would stand the test of time. What they wrote never existed before and models developed of the constitution in other countries do not work.

When I look at our flag, I do not just see stars and stripes. I see the red stripes and I am brough to Issiah the prophet who wrote that by His stripes (Jesus) we would all be healed. The white stripes are a sign of purity where all people could gather together as equals, pursue their dreams, and worship their God. The stars on a background of dark blue brings me to the Book of Revelation Chapter 12 where the woman, Mary, was described as glowing with the light of God surrounded by twelve stars in a sea of dark blue.

This experiment has not gone smoothly but it has worked. But today, satin is a work trying to destroy peace by peace what God has called into existence. Satin wants dominion of the whole world and he has his minion working diligently on a new world order being ruled by a group of men and women committed to his cause. And today, our great nation founded united and founded under God, indivisible with freedom and justice for all, is being put to the test.

I will celebrate our nation’s birthday with thanksgiving for the many blessings God has given us but I will also celebrate with a tear in my eye for the potential God has given us and our refusal to turn back to Him and our refusal not accept His grace. We have been blessed over and over, and yet we still sing “God Bless America”. Maybe we should change the lyrics to “Thank you God for already blessing America.”

Pray for our nation every day that we fulfill God’s vision of a great nation. That we turn away from indifference and the lure of greed and establish a lasting community in love of God and love of neighbor.

May God continue to bless you, keep you strong in faith, and committed to doing His will. And may we follow Him because His yoke is easy and His burden light.

Deacon Phil