Friends and Neighbors, 

Our nation celebrates independence day and we certainly want to give thanks for the liberties we have. Over the years, an honest look at history shows that "liberty for all" hasn't always meant all. There are tragic and horrible stories of oppression and exclusion in our nation's history. More recently, there has been divisive rhetoric about teaching and wrestling with that history. The Christian story has room for recognizing failure, lamenting sins, and changing our minds and hearts to move forward with grace and love. 

Our nation has faced many struggles as we worked with this experiment in democracy. It can seem like the current divisions and policies are worse than ever. I will leave that judgement to others. I am concerned that many decisions and policies are favoring the powerful and the rich. The prophets of old and our Lord Jesus called us to love and serve the vulnerable. Our faith calls us to do justice and mercy and we live in a country that gives us the freedom to disagree work for justice for all people. No matter who is elected and the policies that are enacted, we come together to love God and our neighbors as ourselves. 

This Independence Day I give thanks for those who have struggled for liberty. I also pray that we will learn from our history and expand that liberty to truly be for all people. Coming together to pray, study, and serve with you gives me strength to do such work. We do our part right we are to share God's love that transcends all borders and gives us freedom from the failures of the past. As I think on these things I offer this prayer from page 258 of The Book of Common Prayer: