These reflections are written as devotions for my parish church, Christ Episcopal Church, Yankton South Dakota.
How good and pleasant it is when brethren live together in unity!
UNITY
On this Fourth of July Sunday, we are mindful of the blessings and the challenges present in a nation predicated on the idea and in the faith that out of the democratic mash of diverse ideas, political opinions, and creeds could be distilled a unified republic such as the United States of America.
Ours is a nation founded on words; words like “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal and are endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights, words like “with liberty and justice for all” from our Pledge of Allegiance, and words like, “ E. Pluribus Unum” (from the many one) and “ In God We Trust.”
Then there are the covenantal words upon which our constitutional republic rests, the words of our Constitution’s Preamble:
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity… .”
Our founding fathers and mothers understood the importance of words in founding a new nation. As such, they sought language that would shed light on the truths they sought to realize in its formation. It is no wonder then, that the language they used was the language derived from the scriptures we use in our churches every Sunday; words they were raised with, words that brought many of their forebears to this land, ideas and words that could have be drawn from the Psalm and lessons selected for today.
They possessed a deep faith in divine providence; a belief that they were being guided by the hand of God. While the Preamble of the Constitution avoids any direct reference to God, its language reveals an appeal to the perennial wisdom found in our scriptures.
Knowing the Preamble of the Constitution is necessary for understanding the paradigm on how this nation is to function; in that, it identifies our constitutional government’s overall objective to “form a more perfect union.” In order to do so, it identifies five goals essential to meeting that end; five goals that are the touchstone by which “We the people” know whether we, as a nation, are moving the needle closer to or further away from achieving its constitutional mandate.
Unlike the inspirational language of the Declaration of Independence, our pledge, and our national mottos, the Preamble of the Constitution, takes on a humble tone that understands unity is only attainable when justice for all is realized, when our homeland is tranquil, when everyone feels safe, when the welfare of all is ensured, and when everyone can feel liberated in their own skin and their own sense of identity; liberated to be truly who they are as individuals created in the image of God.
If we are to form a more perfect union, we cannot divorce ourselves from the diverse mash of our opinions, our ideas, or our politics. We can only try our best to listen, to learn, and to discern the best course amongst the cacophony of the voices that surrounds us, praying that God guides us through the shoals of our shortcomings and grants us humble hearts in our accomplishments, keeping faith in God and keeping faith with each other that God’s will is worked through the decisions made by us and on our behalf.
The history of our nation is one of both amazing triumphs and excruciating failures. Our history tells us we have yet to manifest a united commitment to forming the perfect union the founders of this nation dreamed of and so many of our citizens, past and present, have fought for and are fighting for; a dream so many have given their lives and livelihood to realize.
As our nation continues to grow in a world that continues to shrink, the need for national unity in meeting the challenges we face as a nation cannot be divorced from the needs of the world we live in. We are not alone in the problems we face as a nation because they are indeed the problems every nation is faced with. Our founding fathers and mothers recognized this interconnection and envisioned this nation serving as a beacon on a hill for other nations to find hope and inspiration.
Like any concept found in our scriptures, liberty is paradox. While some distort the idea of liberty with the ability of doing “my own thing my own way” regardless of the needs of one’s neighbor, the paradox is that true liberty is only assured when we are free enough to acknowledge the image of God we are all created in and to understand that my freedom, my liberty is only assured when my neighbor’s freedom and liberty is ensured, both here at home and abroad.
In acknowledging the diversity of God’s image expressed in each and every individual, we are enabled to fully embrace the value expressed in “We the People” and the self-evident truth it reflects. Our diversity, indeed the diversity found throughout the world, is nothing less than a manifestation of the immensity of our Creator. The journey towards a more perfect union is ultimately a journey of faith into the truth it reflects, the truth that all are created equal, a truth yet to be fully embraced in our nation.
On a day celebrating our independence as a nation, we should take humble pride in the good and the many amazing achievements of our nation and above all in the truth-bearing words upon which it rests.
On a day celebrating our independence as a nation, we should be mindful of the covenant entrusted to us by our forefathers and refuse to turn a blind eye towards or justify the painful failures and challenging moments our nation has endured and has yet to overcome. For only in facing them honestly and with integrity can we keep making corrections to the path ahead of us and achieve the unity we are seeking; heeding the words of the apostle Paul who urges us to “speak truth in love… so that with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another for the sake of love, to make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” [Ephesians 4] Only then can we move the needle closer to achieving our nation’s goals and realizing the formation of a more perfect union.
Let us pray,
Almighty God, who has given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly ask you that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of your favor and glad to do your will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought from many people and cultures. Give a spirit of wisdom to those who in your Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to your Word, we may give praise to you among the nations of the earth. In time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, strengthen our faith; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer adapted from the Book of Common Prayer)
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Until next time, stay faithful.
Norm
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