"America! America! God shed His grace on thee."
The words of the first verse of the patriotic song, "America the Beautiful" echo the sentiments of many Americans about the blessings that have come to our country through the help of God. The second verse of that same song is a petition to God. "America! America! God mend thine every flaw." It recognizes that our country is far from perfect and needs God's continual help to become what He, and we, want it to be.
Last weekend in my homily, I quoted the Scripture scholar Reginald Fuller who said the following back in the 1980s: "The United States is the most wasteful country on the earth." He did not include references for this statement, and some might question whether what he said was true then, or is true today.
I received a few comments after my homily about our country being "the most generous country" on the face of the earth. Certainly many of us would agree with such a statement about the care our country has shown and continues to show for people in need throughout the world. God's grace continues to inspire such generosity. Still, it is important that our country's flaws be identified and corrected through the efforts of people who cooperate with God's grace to make this country an example for others to follow in all things, including responsible use of our natural resources. We have much in our country to celebrate and much to work on to strive to be what God wants us to be for ourselves and for future generations here and throughout the world. The last part of the third verse of "America the Beautiful" appeals to God once again: "America! America! May God thy gold refine. Till all success be nobleness and ev'ry gain divine." I hope we will all say "Amen" to that.
The words of the first verse of the patriotic song, "America the Beautiful" echo the sentiments of many Americans about the blessings that have come to our country through the help of God. The second verse of that same song is a petition to God. "America! America! God mend thine every flaw." It recognizes that our country is far from perfect and needs God's continual help to become what He, and we, want it to be.
Last weekend in my homily, I quoted the Scripture scholar Reginald Fuller who said the following back in the 1980s: "The United States is the most wasteful country on the earth." He did not include references for this statement, and some might question whether what he said was true then, or is true today.
I received a few comments after my homily about our country being "the most generous country" on the face of the earth. Certainly many of us would agree with such a statement about the care our country has shown and continues to show for people in need throughout the world. God's grace continues to inspire such generosity. Still, it is important that our country's flaws be identified and corrected through the efforts of people who cooperate with God's grace to make this country an example for others to follow in all things, including responsible use of our natural resources. We have much in our country to celebrate and much to work on to strive to be what God wants us to be for ourselves and for future generations here and throughout the world. The last part of the third verse of "America the Beautiful" appeals to God once again: "America! America! May God thy gold refine. Till all success be nobleness and ev'ry gain divine." I hope we will all say "Amen" to that.