Abraham Lincoln once predicted that no foreign invader would ever crush the American spirit or conquer this great land. Instead, the future President warned of a greater threat. "If [danger] ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we ourselves will be its author and finisher."
Lincoln's prophetic warning proved ominous 23 years after he made the speech, when the nation broke apart in a bloody Civil War. But his words are no less pertinent today. Since 1960, the U.S. has endured a 461% increase in out-of-wedlock births, a doubling of the divorce rate, a 150% increase in the number of people receiving welfare payments, a 200% increase in teen suicide, and a 467% increase in violent crime. None of these statistics can be justified by the comparatively modest 50% increase in population over the same time period. Though the U.S. has enjoyed a great deal of success in science and technology as well as progress in civil rights, no one can argue that our country is beset by some very serious challenges. How do we address these crises, and ensure the continued success and prosperity of our Founders' grand experiment?
The Pope answers this question better than anyone. "[T]he continuing success of American democracy depends on the degree to which each new generation, native-born and immigrant, make its own the moral truths on which the Founding Fathers staked the future of your Republic. Their commitment to build a free society with liberty and justice for all must be constantly renewed if the United States is to fulfill the destiny to which the Founders pledged their 'lives...fortunes...and sacred honor.'"
Words of wisdom we can all take to heart this Independence Day.
********************************
You can read the full text of the Pope's remarks at:
