Bishop Message for Independence Day
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Happy Independence Day to you and your families. I thank God for this day and for our great country. We are blessed to live in a place that protects our natural rights and allows us the freedom to live out our faith publicly. This freedom is not guaranteed around the rest of the world and for that we must never take it for granted.
Today, I want to reflect on true freedom and what it means for us as Christians. We are called to the freedom that can only be attained in the total abandonment to God’s divine will. Our burdens feel light when we offer our concerns and struggles to Jesus. The freedom we desire in the depths of our hearts was won for us on the shoulders of Christ on the cross.
We have the responsibility to uphold the freedom gained for us by others who have gone before us, and we have the duty to perfect it, with Jesus’ help, for those who will follow us. We read in the book of Galatians, “You brothers were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature, rather, serve one another in love” (Gal 5:13-14).
Freedom is not possible without love. It is enunciated through virtuous living and the imitation of Jesus, who broke the shackles of sin and death. Today, think of one way you can restore freedom and peace in your own home and personal life. Start with something small, perhaps offering a few moments for an unspoken act of charity for another, and watch as your life and our culture are transformed.
Regardless of who holds office, you can always find true freedom in Christ the King, who is the ultimate source of freedom, peace and love.
Happy Independence Day! May God bless America!
REPLY TO:
Very Rev. Gregory B. Wilson, Vicar General
vicargeneralwilson@charlestondiocese.org
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