Happy 4th of July! Happy Independence Day! On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence. This is the Magna Carta of the United States of America. It is the foundational charterwhere we find inscribed:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all (men) are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor
Along with the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence stand as the criteria by which the nation and its people are to be judged. Not according to its might, but according to the premise that all are created equal. Not by the power of violence, but according to the reliance on divine Providence. Not because of social status, but by the fact that even the voice of a carpenter’s son has the right to be heard.
The Declaration of Independence, considering the necessary nuances that are embedded in its particular historical context and limitations, can almost be read as a “national examen of conscience”. The grievances leveled against the British Monarch can still be perceived in every betrayal of human dignity and the protection of systemic injustice. These may be the “thorn in the flesh” that Paul begged the Lord about. For Paul, his weakness became the source of hope that said to him, “my grace is sufficient for you”.
We are called to honor the birth of the nation, give thanks for the sacrifices and be willing to set aside the false kings and seek the One who is righteous.
Father Francisco Gomez, S.T