“Let there be bonfires and illuminations…”
Some thoughts on the Fourth of July
Some thoughts on the Fourth of July
I have always wondered what it would be like to be a passenger in a small plane flying over the United States on the evening of the Fourth of July. In my mind’s eye, I imagine it would be stunningly beautiful to see all the fireworks brightening the night sky over every city, town and village. This is very much in keeping with the vision of celebrations filled with “Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more” (sic) imagined by John Adams, as he wrote to his wife, Abigail, just two days before the ratification and signing of the Declaration of Independence by members of the Continental Congress.
I have always wondered what it would be like to be a passenger in a small plane flying over the United States on the evening of the Fourth of July. In my mind’s eye, I imagine it would be stunningly beautiful to see all the fireworks brightening the night sky over every city, town and village. This is very much in keeping with the vision of celebrations filled with “Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more” (sic) imagined by John Adams, as he wrote to his wife, Abigail, just two days before the ratification and signing of the Declaration of Independence by members of the Continental Congress.
The Declaration of Independence was a list of reasons why the 13 original colonies sought to break ties with Great Britain. The Declaration states that all people have a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In ratifying and signing the Declaration, the members of the Continental Congress knew that they were committing themselves and a nascent nation to a difficult path of struggle in order to win freedom from Great Britain. Indeed, the initial struggle lasted nearly eight years and came at the cost of many lives during what would prove to be a multi-faceted war for independence.
This Fourth of July, our nation marks 250 years since the ratification and signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. The ensuing years have continued to see struggles and sacrifices to bring into clearer view what was first envisioned in the Declaration. As Catholics and as faith-filled citizens, we have a role to play in this unfolding reality. Each of us needs to be mindful of the freedoms we have and the responsibilities that come with them. Through 250 years of struggle, we have learned that there are many who envy or who do not understand the freedoms we enjoy. In some cases, we have learned that there are those who wish to take that freedom from us. We also must always be mindful of the sacrifice of blood and treasure that has been made (and which continues to be made) in order to safeguard the freedoms we celebrate on the Fourth of July.
As we ask for the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to be poured upon the people of our nation on this two hundred fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, let us also work and pray for a day when all the peoples of the earth will enjoy similar freedom and peace. May God bless all of us as we move forward on this journey in FAITH.
Father Dwight Ezop is the editor-in-chief of FAITH Magazine and pastor of St. Mary Parish, Charlotte and St. Ann Church, Bellevue.
