Independence Day--Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

“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” ~Declaration of Independence, 4 July 1776).

"—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." ~Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address, Nov. 19, 1863

After all the prophecies of chastisement we've been reading from Amos, now comes a promise of restoration (Amos 9:14-15): 

I will restore my people Israel,

they shall rebuild and inhabit their ruined cities,

Plant vineyards and drink the wine,

set out gardens and eat the fruits.

I will plant them upon their own ground;

never again shall they be plucked

From the land I have given them—

the LORD, your God, has spoken.

As always I can count on Mgsr. Pope to write beautifully on these topics. I pray for our country, to return to her Judeo-Christian roots so that we may again thrive. Abraham Lincoln, in his second inaugural address said that the civil war was a punishment for the sin of slavery. How much worse is abortion? How can God bless America when we persist in our wicked ways? We are hell-bent on being independent of God's laws and the result is chaos. How long will the hand of God stay? Oh, America, America, God mend thine every flaw. Confirm thy soul in self-control, thy liberty in law! ~ Katharine Lee Bates, America the Beautiful, 1893

A safe and happy Independence Day to all. Posting an old photo of fireworks since the public display has been canceled this year. And it just so happens that today's Gospel Reflection on old and new wineskins is up on CatholicMom.