July 3-4, 2010
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time USA 234th Birthday!
Isaiah 66:10-14 Galatians 6:14-18 Luke 10:1-20
One or two people can do very little by themselves but when one or two raise their voices and speak out, others begin to listen. One by one and two by two something small begins to grow and what was once small and forgettable becomes a force with which to be reckoned. In the building of a great bridge or a splendid structure…someone has the initial idea and raises the concept….others start to imagine it….imagination catches fire amongst more and more people…and the idea of bridges and splendid structures become real…not by the labor of one person…but through the efforts of many.
In this weekend’s Gospel we hear of Jesus sending out his disciples as ‘evangelists’ of his message. He gives them some rudimentary instructions and we hear of their excitement at their efforts and results. In Galatians we have a powerful statement by Paul about the meaningless of ‘external signs’ when it comes to depth of meaning and commitment, rather, Paul directs us to the ‘new creation-new concept’ we become in Christ.
It is an apt thought by which to jump into all things Fourth of July. While the media will flash images of our splendiferous structures, national shrines and natural wonders, while Old Glory will be featured prominently (as it is on our elevator tower)…the Fourth of July is more a testimony to what people can do when they get their minds and souls around an idea. On Independence Day, we are encouraged to look beyond just the national barbeque and picnic and consider what happens when compromise and commitment walk hand in hand with dedication and sacrifice.
The IDEA of the United States was born not so much from a clear understanding of what the original signers of the Declaration of Independence knew they wanted…but what they knew they did NOT want. Who we are today (and who we will be tomorrow) is the result of thousands, millions, of voices being raised in discussion, sometimes passionately, about what defines us. That we can be united as individual states is remarkable. That we can wrangle, fight, bloody each other…and still pull together is remarkable. E Pluribus Unum, out of many, one.
From one, something strong and grand….be it a splendid structure, a bridge, the Church, the Body of Christ, made up of billions of parts…or the United States, 234 years young…and made up of 300 million parts..and growing! Remarkable what we can do when we set our minds and hearts to something….even more remarkable what we can accomplish when God is woven within our endeavors.
Thank you for joining with us as we celebrate and honor our 234th birthday, may your celebrations be safe and satisfying. Our La Cena Dinner is TWO weeks away…make sure oyu make your reservation NOW. Please take a Bulletin with you with news of others things coming up in the weeks ahead, it might be summer, but we don’t slow down. As you break open the chicken salad and crunch on fried chicken and slurp the watermelon….in the glow of the rockets red glare, remember, you are loved! Happy Birthday USA!!! FKB
