Sunday July 8th 2012 Reflection

[Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD]

The Times That Try Men’s Souls
A Reading for Sunday July 8th, 2012
By Rev. Robert Francis Johnnene OFD
Mission St’s. Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
National Catholic Church of America
Franklin Massachusetts

The readings for this Sunday speak of Prophets and how they are
received, since we have just celebrated Independence Day on Wednesday
I have chosen to comment on a man who was considered a prophet in his
time, and often rejected and despised for what he had to write, Thomas
Paine. Thomas Paine’s writings inspired passion, but also brought him
great criticism. He communicated the ideas of the Revolution to common
farmers as easily as to intellectuals, creating prose that stirred the
hearts of the fledgling United States.
He had a grand vision for society: he was staunchly anti-slavery, and
he was one of the first to advocate a world peace organization and
social security for the poor and elderly.
Thomas Pain was considered a prophet by some in his day and because of
that and the fact that our Gospel reading today tells us the
following; “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and among his own kin and in his own house."
I have chosen to paraphrase Thomas Paine’s very famous battle cry
from THE CRISIS and the relationship between his time and ours and how
what he had to say back in the 1700’s is not only relevant today but
also is in accord with the teachings of Christ.
I have used most of Paine’s original words changing some things to
relate to today and adding others.
I believe that we, in this nation, are facing another time of crisis.
A time when some who proclaim they are Christians and other more
dangerous persons who seek only power and greed would deny us of the
basic values our founding fathers had when they established this great
nation when they said; We the People of the United States, in Order to
form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic
tranquility domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense,
promote the genera welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to
ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution
for the United States of America.”
This document was created after they declared their independence from
Great Britain with these words; 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.
Notice, that they said the unalienable rights were endowed by their
creator; this was an acknowledgement to a supreme power, namely,
Almighty God. So those who desire to have all mention of God removed
from all public places are the persons who are acting against the
desires of those who founded this great nation and are also some of
those that would abolish the programs that Thomas Paine advocated for
back in the 1700’s.
There are some out there that would deny the poor and aged the
resources that keep them alive and provide them with adequate medical
care and food. There is a bill pending in Congress to abolish or at
least cut 50% from the Food Stamp budget which provides the poor and
aged with the ability to eat nourishing food to maintain a healthy
life.
Today the words of Thomas Paine “THESE are the times that try men's
souls. The complacent citizen and the self-righteous will, in this
time of crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that
stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of every man and
woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this
consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious
the triumph.
When people are being denied equal rights because of their social
condition, age or sexual orientation there is no justice.
Paine also said; What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it
is dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to
put a proper price upon justice and freedom and it would be strange
indeed if so celestial a value like justice and freedom were discarded
for the sake of power, profit and control of any of God’s children.
The God who created all things and gave His only beloved son told us
to Love and respect each other. I am certain that God does not approve
of how this nation is denying citizens equal rights or how they
deprive it’s citizens of affordable health care and decent housing but
spend billions to wage wars against other countries, wars that expends
the lives of our youth who are the future of the world.
As the responsorial psalm reminds us today; “Have pity on us, O LORD,
have pity on us, for we are more than sated with contempt; our souls
are more than sated with the mockery of the arrogant, with the
contempt of the proud” To which we respond “Our eyes are fixed on the
Lord, pleading for His mercy”.
The Time is now for all to evaluate how our country is heading and
speak up for equal rights and justice for ALL THE PEOPLE. It is time
we plead to the Lord asking for His mercy if we have failed to stand
up and support the values that our fore fathers and Thomas Paine
sought to build this nation on; Equality, Justice, Compassion, Mercy
and promoting the general welfare of ALL our citizens, the Young,
poor, aged, sick, unemployed, and homeless as well as the rich.
We will soon be asked to choose a new president, we as followers of
Christ, need to evaluate the choices against how well the candidates
will try to insure that ALL citizens are treated fairly and are
provided with the means to have affordable medical care as well as
housing, food; In essence a Nation that is everything that our
founding fathers 236 years ago sought to become. AMEN