Dear Friends,
The rain was in full force, so an outdoor gathering was impossible, but a few weeks ago, on June 14th, preschool children gathered in the foyer of the Bayview YMCA to raise and salute the flag. On this Flag Day, these enthusiastic, cherubic voices were heard more loudly and clearly than they could have been outside. With hands over their hearts, with great spirit, they proclaimed words we all knew:
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America
and to the republic for which it stands,
one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
In 1892, the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus discovering America, this pledge first appeared in a periodical called The Youth’s Companion. Children across the country were urged to memorize it, say it daily and live by it. Since then, citizens ranging in age from school children through adults, have uttered this promise, holding their hands over their hearts. The pledge was officially recognized in 1942, and the words “under God” were added in 1954. Each day, Congress begins its work with the pledge. You might want to add it to the rituals of your Fourth of July celebration this week.
You might guess that two phrases are especially important in this series of summer blogs: “under God” and “with liberty and justice for all.”
When we say “under God” we, of course, mean that we are indebted to God for all we are and have and do. God is our umbrella, our protector, the One from whom we derive our being. As a nation, we acknowledge God’s place in all the good things we have become.
When we say, “liberty and justice for all,” we mean all, not just our white neighbors, or the Daughters of the Revolution, who can trace their lineage back to our founders. We mean all. Newbies of all colors and sizes. The ones who don’t yet understand slang and may be homesick for the old places and old ways.
We have no right to kill anyone, yet our nation has experienced over 200 mass murders already this year alone.
Justice for all means encouraging fairness, and freedom of movement as long as we don’t step on one another’s toes. Liberty means making space for one another to grow, use our talents and become important contributors to the health and well-being of our land. We lose nothing when we are generous. We gain everything when we are undivided.
In his last official address as president of the United States in 1783, George Washington told Congress: “I now make it my earnest prayer that God would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice and to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion.”
President Washington was in the same spiritual arena as Paul writing to the Romans: “Have the same regard for one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly; do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay evil with evil; be concerned with what is noble in the eyes of all. If possible, live in peace with all…Do not be conquered by evil but conquer evil with good.” (Romans 12, 16 - 18, 21)
Seeing the flag flying over public buildings, businesses and on residential streets, let the sight of it be a reminder to us that our country expects us to fulfill our promise. It’s a sound expectation – one that deserves our year-long attention.
~ Sister Joan Sobala
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