GUEST EDITORIAL

America is called to live its Judeo-Christian Roots

Posted

The principal architects of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights: Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, as well as other founding contributors, embraced and incorporated Judeo-Christian biblical, moral, religious, and social exigencies into their writings: the absolute equality of each person created by God, endowed with inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The human person is unique and unrepeatable; possessing intrinsic and irreducible value and dignity. These are rudimentary, fundamental and inviolate truths guaranteed under the law of God and government, from which our individual and collective freedoms originate.
It is apparent that we are gradually falling farther and farther away from God, adrift in a sea of confusion, losing touch with the Divine, with our uniquely sacred and collective identity as a people, a country. Today, the United States is a contradiction to the world, a misnomer. Our country is more divided now than we were during the time of Civil War. We are a nation deprived of borders, without a defined identity, incontrovertibly compromised, in turmoil, searching for its soul. Daily we witness multiple murders, violence, chaos, lack of law and order, the multiplication of dangerous illegal drugs resulting in many consequent deaths especially among our youth and the systematic destruction of a number of our cities. Many of our infants are deprived of sustenance, because of the lack of baby formula. We ask ourselves how could these things happen in this day and age?
Trivialization of religion, weak leadership, growing inflation, the groundswell and dissemination of systemic atheism as well as the advancing of radical Marxist socialist philosophy are only a few of the critical issues facing our country. In addition, parental rights have been severely compromised along with growing racial divisions, a proliferation of critical race theory particularly in many of our public schools, colleges and universities as well as radical pedagogy regarding sexual ambiguity and sex reassignment. In today’s polarized society, one’s sex is no longer determined by nature, but by one’s personal choice; according to the changing whims and desires of the individual.
Many people possess a cavalier and self-indulgent approach to the topic of abortion. The discourse about the origins of human life, once regarded as sacred, the ultimate gift, is hotly debated. Life begins at biological conception and ends at the moment of natural death. There can be no compromise regarding this truth. Tragically, for many Americans, abortion, even up to the very moment of birth, is considered acceptable. Accordingly, human life, whether in vitro or ex vitro, can be indiscriminately aborted. This is tantamount to murder, a monstrous and grotesque sin.
Because of his vanity for worldly power, King Herod sacrificed by the sword the holy innocents of Bethlehem two thousand years ago in his eagerness to abort the new-born King, the Christ. Today, the cold steel of Herod’s sword is once again wielded to murder the countless holy innocents of this generation. Somewhere along the journey, America has lost its way, adrift, far from the Divine presence. Like Esau, sadly our birthright has been forfeited by deceit for a miserable bowl of porridge. Such are the “fruits” of Original Sin!
We alone are responsible for our choices, which must be predicated on our Judeo-Christian Faith. Let us walk in the midst of the Divine Shepherd of souls, as we traverse the perilous precipice, tenuous and thin. As captains of our ship, may we be guided by God’s grace, finding our way back to tranquil harbors. The great American poet, Walt Whitman, once penned: “Now voyager, sail thou forth, to seek and find.”
May our beloved nation never abandon its search for faith, truth and trust in God’s beneficence and providence. Only in this way can we endure the storms that lay ahead. As one people united under one God, may we heartily embrace the gifts of love, righteousness, courage, humility, peace, unity, forgiveness, hope, mercy and the outstretched hand of friendship. Make no mistake. This is the designated time to turn away from sin and to live each day emboldened by the Good News of our salvation. God bless America!

Father Douglas J. Spina, Ph.D., is Pastor Emeritus St. Mary Church, West Warwick.