HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

2244 Every institution is inspired, at least implicitly, by a vision of man and his destiny, from which it derives the point of reference for its judgment, its hierarchy of values, its line of conduct. Most societies have formed their institutions in the recognition of a certain preeminence of man over things. Only the divinely revealed religion has clearly recognized man's origin and destiny in God, the Creator and Redeemer. The Church invites political authorities to measure their judgments and decisions against this inspired truth about God and man:

Societies not recognizing this vision or rejecting it in the name of their independence from God are brought to seek their criteria and goal in themselves or to borrow them from some ideology. Since they do not admit that one can defend an objective criterion of good and evil, they arrogate to themselves an explicit or implicit totalitarian power over man and his destiny, as history shows.

So much anger today.  So much tribalism.  A whole lot of 'us against them'.  We use ugly language to make our points.  We rail against injustice by calling for murder of elected officials and then we are shocked when people no longer respect our thoughts.  Someone doesn't accept our version of 'normal' and that person is a bigot.  A child sells bottled water to earn money for a Disneyland trip and we call the cops.  A woman tries to walk home safely and she has to clutch her purse and pretend she doesn't hear the cat-calls about the size of her breasts.  A man has a reconversion to the Faith only to leave it behind because it interferes with his political objectives.

If my origin and my destiny is in God, what am I doing to add to the world around me?  Am I sucking it dry?  Am I wishing damnation on those I do not like?

Never to I expect to 'like' everyone.  I don't.  There are people I find maddening because of their closed minds and inability to apply logic.  There are people I once trusted that I now wish I had never shared my thoughts with and am fully expecting them to - at some point - use my confidence in them to their earthly advantage.

I have taken really dopey actions based on poor judgement.

What I hope is that my own hierarchy of values shapes my conduct.  I know it requires grace.  It is up to me to ask for it and then deliberately use that grace to find the strength and courage to trust God.

Happy 4th of July, everyone!