Thankful for Independence Day
Fr. Francis Di Spigno, OFM,
Pastor
I think most, if not all, would agree that the 4th of July is the quintessential summer holiday! Life tends to slow down during the summer [except if you work at St. Francis Parish and Center… or any hotel, restaurant or business at the shore.] With schools closed for the summer people can travel more freely and take a “long weekend”
depending on when the holiday falls. After a nice day at the beach, perhaps some hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill, or in my house growing up, it also included sausage,
peppers and onions on a roll, and plenty of fresh mozzarella with Italian bread. No matter the menu, the day traditionally comes to an end with a spectacular fireworks show to recall the “bombs bursting in air.” It is a great summer holiday and there is no better place to celebrate the 4th of July then on LBI!
We give thanks to God for all the blessings we have, but at this time, we especially give God thanks for the great blessing of living in the United States of America.
I am not an historian, but from my reading, historians tend to agree that the American Revolution was rooted in “taxation without representation” and a growing American identity apart from being subjects to the British Crown. The undercurrent of the time interpreted these issues through the Enlightenment’s ideas of individual rights and a government by consent of the people and the Declaration of
Independence was created.
As we know, the Declaration led to the American Revolution. After the victory against the greatest military force at the time, this struggle for independence could have been
short-lived. But the convictions, insights, and genius of our country’s founders produced the US Constitution that has held us together as a nation for 238 years.
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, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. [The Preamble of the US Constitution]
We do give God thanks for our great country and we ask God to continue to bless all of us with the conviction, insight, and wisdom to continue to create a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and for those who will come after us.
May God Bless us all with peace and all good.
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