July 4 2018 - Independence Day - Declaration of Independence and the Sacrifice of Christ

On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence to declare to the world that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as sovereign states independent from the rule of the British Empire.

In response to this historic event, John Adams, one of only two of the Founding Fathers to go on to become president, wrote to his wife Abigail:

“…This day ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God almighty.  It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of the continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”

How fitting that as Catholics we begin this day of pomp and circumstance with the greatest of all celebrations: the celebration of Holy Mass.

There is a beautiful congruence of what our nation celebrates and what our faith celebrates. Our nation celebrates today freedom from tyrannical rule. It was the contention of our Founding Fathers that the British Rule of the American Colonies was tyrannical and unjust, and so we declared our independence from that tyranny in order to govern ourselves justly, that we may freely exercise and pursue our God given rights.

The Mass is a celebration of freedom as well. It is a celebration of freedom from the tyranny that we impose upon ourselves through sin, a tyranny rooted in man’s grasping at the fruit of a forbidden tree.

To many people, the notion of “freedom” means the ability to do whatever you want, whenever you want.  You even sometimes hear children claim, “I can’t wait until I grow up, then, I can do whatever I want.”  But, freedom does not mean doing whatever we want, but doing what we ought.  Adam and Eve ought to have used their freedom to remain obedient. We all ought to use our freedom to pursue righteousness.

We know that our founding Fathers had to fight many battles to obtain the freedom which they believed was our God given right. Independence Day is always a day of gratitude for all those who battled for freedom and a reminder that the battle for freedom endures today.

The Mass is also the commemoration of a battle, a spiritual battle, and the victory of Christ at that battle, a victory not obtained through military arms, but by Christ’s arms outstretched upon the cross, a victory won by Christ’s obedience.

In a sense, the Mass is not a declaration of independence, but a declaration of dependence: the Christian declaration that we can never be truly free or truly good without God.

So we pray for our nation today, that the citizens of this country will be committed to pursuing and protecting our freedom. We pray in gratitude for those who shed their blood for the freedom we enjoy today. And we pray that we, as Christians, will witness to the world that freedom, in it’s ultimate sense, can only be found through Christ and His Gospel for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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Please stand for our petitions.  Our petitions this morning are those composed for the inauguration of President George Washington by Archbishop John Carroll, First Roman Catholic bishop in our country whose brother Charles Carroll was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

We pray Thee, O God of might, wisdom, and justice! Through Whom authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed, assist with Thy holy spirit of counsel and fortitude the President of the United States, that his administration may be conducted in righteousness, and be eminently useful to Thy people over whom he presides; by encouraging due respect for virtue and religion; by a faithful execution of the laws in justice and mercy; and by restraining vice and immorality. We pray to the Lord.

Let the light of Thy divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress, and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for our rule and government, so that they may tend to the preservation of peace, the promotion of national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety, and useful knowledge; and may perpetuate to us the blessing of equal liberty. We pray to the Lord.

We pray for all judges, magistrates, and other officers who are appointed to guard our political welfare, that they maybe enabled, by Thy powerful protection, to discharge the duties of their respective stations with honesty and ability. We pray to the Lord.

We recommend likewise, to Thy unbounded mercy, all our brethren and fellow citizens throughout the United States, that they may be blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in the observance of Thy most holy law; that they may be preserved in union, and in that peace which the world cannot give; and after enjoying the blessings of this life, be admitted to those which are eternal. We pray to the Lord.

And we pray especially for all of our countrymen who have gone before us in faith, for all those who have fought and died for our country’s freedom, for all the of the deceased members of our family and friends, and for N., for whom this Mass is offered.  We pray to the Lord.