Dear Parishioners,

In today’s contemporary cultural context, we question what is real. Theologians identify three intellectual problems that are attacking Christian theology that all relate to the question on what is real.

 

First, God is separated from the world, and, therefore, theology does not have anything to say about worldly matters. Second, relativism, which is the outgrowth of pluralism, cancels the possibility of objective truth. And thirdly, pessimism enhances the problem of evil. (I think we can all agree that each day in the global news outlets, they communicate an all-enveloping shroud of negativity that wears people down and drains a sense of ultimate hope from worldly existence.)

 

As Catholics, we believe that God as Creator is unlimited, without boundaries, and “suffuses all reality, penetrating the world and each creature…God is not ‘up there’ or ‘out there’ beyond the expanding universe, but within it without being a part of it.” Roger Haight, SJ notes.

 

Even though we face challenges, we each possess the personal freedom informed by the Holy Spirit that gives us the ability to live boldly and thoughtfully in the face of contemporary opposition. It is the belief in Resurrection that confronts pessimism. This hope found in Christ enables us to move forward. 

It is in this context that we celebrate the 4th of July.

 

While we have these three strong headwinds against us, the national holiday fosters goodwill across our great nation. Despite the many divisions that exist, the American people are generally grateful for all the blessings that they enjoy.

  

Over the years, they (the American people) have demonstrated resilience in the face of life’s difficulties. While many would argue otherwise, as I noted above, as believers we know that the source of this ability to live with distress, especially with a divided nation on so many topics, comes from the hope we find in Christ.

Prayer is central, for we do not have all the answers, only the Holy Spirit does. A thoughtful person knows that the answers are not always clear, therefore, we have to be careful that we are not about tyrannizing the work of the Holy Spirit by bending her wisdom according to our own egotistical desires.

Happy 4th of July — stay safe!