Yesterday we as a nation celebrated July 4th – our Independence Day.
The past several years have been rough for the United States. Many issues have divided the people of our country.
There is a show on PBS called Finding Your Roots that I sometimes watch. I recently saw an episode where a man was discovering the brutality his great, great grandparents suffered under the yoke of slavery here in the United States. It so disturbed him that they had to stop filming. After some time had passed, they reached out to that man and asked if he was willing to finish filming the episode. He did. At one point he very sincerely and strongly said that this is the United States of America, the best country in the entire world.
I was moved by how he said this after learning the terrible suffering his ancestors endured here in the United States.
Yes, we have terrible things in our past, and we have many issues that divide us today, but as that man so sincerely said is true, this is the best country in the world. We can do better.
"You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."
He replied to him, "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live."
Luke 10:27-28
In this coming Sunday’s Gospel reading, a young man asks Jesus what he needs to do to gain eternal life. Jesus asks him what he’s been taught to do, and Jesus asks us what we’ve been taught to do.
We know. Let these verses from the Gospel remind us. Let’s do better.
When we do, not only are we striving for eternal life, but we are shining God’s love and mercy here.
Blessings of doing better this week!