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ARCHBISHOP BELTRAN

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July 27, 2008

The Good News...

...Patriotism

On that great national holiday, Independence Day, the Fourth of July the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra performed a concert in the park in Yukon. The patriotic music was planned to lead into an hour-long fireworks display. Between the concert and the fireworks, a series of quotations from presidents and other public historic  persons  were  narrated.  Those words of history were solemnly accompanied by appropriate music as they confirmed what we already know and cherish. Those quotations served as beautiful reminders of the truths upon which our country was founded. Our great country was established on firm principles which shaped us in the land of the free.

The basic principles I heard were:

1. A belief in a good and gracious God who created and sustains the universe.

2. A recognition of the God-given dignity of the human person.

3. An  acknowledgement  that among the inalienable rights given to human beings are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These fundamental rights come from God and not from the state.

4. The centrality of freedom (liberty) in the human condition.

5. The willingness of patriots to sacrifice to defend the liberty of our land.

6. The existence of good and evil and the responsibility of each person for his acts, choices and decisions.

7. The need (obligation) of the government to protect human life.

The contrast of those Fourth of July words and the actual situation in our country today flashed at me more strikingly than the spectacular fireworks before me.

When these truths were first spoken, they were stated as part of  the vision and hope of our nation. They were proclaimed sincerely by presidents and other national leaders and patriots. Today, they constitute our heritage which we must preserve and defend if we wish to remain the land of the free.

While change is a necessary part of life and history, it is most unfortunate when the change is negative.  Change is good when it leads to positive development. It is obvious today that many of the changes we are experiencing are actually threats to our freedom. They are destructive to those principles stated above.

Although many, many Americans still profess a belief in God, there are increasing numbers who have abandoned faith and the practice of religion. Many have substituted false practices or secular attitudes. When the concept of the One, True God, Creator and Redeemer, is ejected from the public square, true respect for the dignity of the human person is lost. If someone doesn’t believe in God, he cannot see the Image of God in people.  With that perspective, the true dignity of the human being is lost and inalienable rights become arbitrary.

As a church community, we believe in God and are grateful for all the gifts and blessings He has given us.  We must express that gratitude in prayer and action. We should pray daily for our country and its leaders.  We must recognize the obligation and privilege we have to vote. Our voting should always be guided by our belief in God and the recognition of the dignity of the human person.

What I learned in elementary school many years ago remains true today: Be a good Catholic and you will be a good American.