We hold these truths to be
self-evident...
Thomas Jefferson, along with a committee of
five, penned for us an enduring document that has seared itself onto our
collective conscience. When he wrote that 'all men are created equal' he spoke of a fundamental belief
that has guided the activity of our nation from its inception. Whether we believe ourselves to have
faithfully lived up to this ideal over the passage of time or not, nonetheless,
it stands as a beacon that lights the way forward as we strive to live in
accord with our most lofty goals.
As we gather this weekend for worship, we are
well aware that the Bill of Rights forbids
the United States Congress from making any law establishing any religion or
restricting the free exercise of our faith.
As a result we are grateful that the law of the land protects our
freedom to gather, worship, and even to publicly share our faith with others. There are many nations scattered across this
globe where this is clearly not true.
Yet as much as we value this ideal of independence
and freedom, it is the Good News spoken by Jesus that reminds us that we are
created to be interdependent alongside one another as well as with God. Not one of us is an island, and it is the
Word that became Flesh that is constantly calling us into a community formed
around the principle of grace. It is
this community we call the church where we are able to ‘bear one another’s burdens’ as well as ‘make our joys complete.’
So, I invite you to take a moment to join in corporate worship this weekend. This is the place where
independence and freedom comes face to face with interdependence and law to
make a more ‘perfect union’ called the church. It is in the midst of this interaction that the holy enters in... or so I believe.
Peace,
Pal
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