America The Beautiful

As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him. Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep.They came and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!"

He said to them, "Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?" Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

The men were amazed and said, "What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?"

I am an American.  I was born a free person in a land where freedom was won by those that came before me. Throughout my life, I have enjoyed the benefits of being an American and I am thankful to God for all of the blessings he has bestowed on the United States of America. I love this country and all of the good things it stands for.  The United States of America is an example of what people can do when they put their mind to it. 

It is easy to be a patriot on the Fourth of July just as it is easy to be a Christian on Christmas. But the feelings engendered by the celebration of these days rapidly fade as the sun sets and the darkness of the night takes over.  A true patriot is true to his country even when things seem to go bad.

Am I saying that I do not like where we are as Americans today? Well, I have to admit, I think things could be better. But I am going to refrain from political commentary and simply ask everyone of every creed to pray for the America that our forefathers dreamed about, a land where freedom for all, not just a few, was the ideal.  Let us look to the common good and not just what is good for the holy three, that is "me, myself and I."

The Gospel reading for today is Jesus calming the sea. His friends were busy bailing the boat as they believed that it was going to swamp.  What was Jesus doing?  Why he was asleep, of course. Remembering that for the most part, these were fishermen from Galilee, the conversation must have been on the coarse side with expletives being hurled in the manner in which a frightened fisherman would find expression for the terror he felt. Finally, they woke Jesus and he shook his head and chided them for their lack of faith and immediately calmed the wind and the waves.  What's a person have to do to get some shut eye? 

Today, there is much confusion in our land.  We are paying a price for hiring a man for president who has to get all of his training "on the job" style.  We like the Apostles can work with fury to bail the boat out hurling expletives left and right to express the terror we may feel.  Finally, when we have exhausted ourselves, we will turn to Jesus and He will either calm the storm or calm us.  We must have faith.