Florida Catholic | Editorial

Recall the reason we celebrate the Fourth

Published: 07.01.08

Would that we do a better job of protecting all life and liberty.”

Americans will mark the holiday this weekend with barbecues, picnics and fireworks. Lots of fireworks. They’ve already started in my neighborhood, and local communities will feature major sanctioned celebrations. The seasonal fireworks stands are set up in the grocery store parking lots (the same locations that feature Christmas trees in December), and you can even find boxes of sparklers and bundles of noisemakers in the grocery aisles.

Especially this year, with July 4 falling on a Friday, there will be a great temptation to simply make this a three-day weekend of summer fun. However, it is important to remember the reason for the celebration. This is, after all, Independence Day.

The men of the Continental Congress knew things had to change. They had come to the colonies for freedom – freedom to practice religion, freedom to settle the land, freedom to determine their future. Ultimately, they found conditions oppressive, and chose to establish the democratic republic in which we now live. Let’s recall some of their words from the Declaration of Independence:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.”

Very wise words: “Endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights” – note that the Founding Fathers acknowledge here life and liberty, and not the right to happiness but the ability to seek it.

In the end of the declaration, they come to the conclusion that the only thing they can see to do is to separate the colonies from England. They don’t plan to finish the dance with the one who brought them.

“We, therefore, the representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.”

As each of the 56 signed the declaration, they knew they were risking their lives or fortunes. But they were right to set in motion a form of government that endures today and protects us today.

Would that we do a better job of protecting all life and liberty. Would that we all could be happier. But in the meantime, let’s take time as we celebrate this Independence Day to reflect on what a remarkable achievement was made in 1776 and from which we still benefit today.

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Recall the reason we celebrate the Fourth

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