Rev. Betsy Aldrich Garland

July 4, 2010

Thoughts on the Fourth of July

Our Pilgrim ancestors of the Congregational faith came to this land to seek a new life, to find freedom to worship at they choose, to pursue the Biblical vision of a City Set on a Hill. They brought values with them from Europe and cultivated them here. These values shaped the emerging nation and formed the basis of the Declaration of Independence that was signed 234 years ago today.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident,”
wrote Thomas Jefferson,

“that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are
Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness has come true for those of us who have a job and sufficient income for a decent place to live, a health care plan when a family member is sick, a quality education and citizenship in the best country in the world. But life in America is not perfect for everyone – we have unfinished business.

It helps to remember, when they adopted the Declaration, that they had unfinished business in 1776, too: women were not equal, slaves were not free, happiness was realized by relatively few. Well, we’ve made progress, of course. We have a middle class that has, by and large, in the last 50 years, found life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

But not everywhere: racism, homophobia, poverty still dog us as a country, we’re not the land of the free for everyone.... Perhaps the founders knew that their words did not describe the current reality – but that the Declaration described the end result to be pursued, the beginning of the work to create the “City Set on a Hill.”

Yes, we have challenges – today’s problems are complex. Yes, we have divisions – hate speech in print and broadcast media stifles dialogue. Yes, we have misdeeds – too many act in self-interest, not the public interest.

Yes, we may have unfinished business, and we know we have work to do, but we’re a country to be proud of: The way citizens like us form nonprofit organizations when we see a need to better people’s lives. The way we rise up with contributions of time and money to help in a disaster; the Lutheran mission team here two weeks ago, RIConf in Haiti.... The way we celebrate the values of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness – even when we don’t always practice them.

Yes, God has blessed America! And we’re blessed to live here and to raise our children here, not in an impoverished country facing drought and famine. Scripture tells us the greater the blessings, greater responsibility. God’s blessings are meant to be shared. We have a mission field to serve!

Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness – that’s the business we’re in.

Today, we remember when it all started, and so join me in saying, “Happy birthday, America!

Amen.