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The Fourth of July - Oh no, not again...
In the United States, today is Independence Day, a day where almost everyone cowtows to Civil Religion - manifest in sparkly entertainment form.
Let use use this day - and every day - to declare our total dependence on our Lord Jesus Christ, and not on the state; for the state is not our source of freedom or liberation; only Christ can truly accomplish that.
Today, and every day, is a day to stand up and declare ourselves to be Citizens of the Kingdom of God. On paper, we may be citizens of a nation-state, and, Scripturally we must be obedient to the just laws of government, but in this day and age - especially in America - we spend far too much time worshipping the state, and giving it credit for freedom, justice, and peace. Neither the United States, nor any other nation, gives us such gifts. Only our Lord Jesus Christ can give us freedom and liberation.
It is time for the Church to be single minded... to focus on Christ.
It is time to remember that this coming Sunday is the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, or the whatever Sunday in Whatever Liturgical Season you are celebrating, not Independence Sunday. America the Beautiful is NOT an appropriate Eucharistic hymn, an American flag is not an appropriate adornment for the house of God, and and honoring parishoners who, following orders, have taken the lives of other Christians (who, after all, were just following orders) has no place in the Embassy of our Lord Jesus Christ that is the Church.
It's time to liberate the Church from Civil Religion once and for all.
Pity it probably won't happen any time soon.
:sigh:
End Rant.
Today, and every day, is a day to stand up and declare ourselves to be Citizens of the Kingdom of God. On paper, we may be citizens of a nation-state, and, Scripturally we must be obedient to the just laws of government, but in this day and age - especially in America - we spend far too much time worshipping the state, and giving it credit for freedom, justice, and peace. Neither the United States, nor any other nation, gives us such gifts. Only our Lord Jesus Christ can give us freedom and liberation.
It is time for the Church to be single minded... to focus on Christ.
It is time to remember that this coming Sunday is the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, or the whatever Sunday in Whatever Liturgical Season you are celebrating, not Independence Sunday. America the Beautiful is NOT an appropriate Eucharistic hymn, an American flag is not an appropriate adornment for the house of God, and and honoring parishoners who, following orders, have taken the lives of other Christians (who, after all, were just following orders) has no place in the Embassy of our Lord Jesus Christ that is the Church.
It's time to liberate the Church from Civil Religion once and for all.
Pity it probably won't happen any time soon.
:sigh:
End Rant.
2 comments:
Fr. Robert -- how easy it is to confuse patriotism and religion. And sad how easy it is that folks are more willing to worship state than Jesus. Thanks for you post.
Peace.
I always find the celebration of the fourth of July very odd. Granted I love fireworks and spending time with family and all that stuff. But the whole idea of a celebration is odd to me.
1) It wasn't on the fourth of July that we gained our independence. Or the day that the Continental Congress approved independence.
2) And for those of us who are Christians. It seems to me to go completely contrary to Romans 13. It seems to celebrate an entirely unChristian way to behave. Granted I believe the world is better for American independence, but good things can come from bad events.
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