Today is a special day for all Americans, and for all freedom-loving people all over the world. This is the day when we recognize the sacrifices of our forefathers. They had the courage to raise the cry of freedom against a despotic regime and the vested interest of people of privilege; and they won.

The basic beliefs of the Declaration of Independence, which was adopted on July 4, 1776, are that all people are created equal and that they are endowed by their Creator with the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Freedom ( or liberty ) is at the root of the right to life, and the pursuit of happiness. It is the God-given prerogative of all mankind to enjoy this freedom of the children of God.

Freedom is the most precious gift of individuals and of a nation. To be a free nation, we must shoulder the responsibilities of freedom. Our Founding Fathers bore that responsibility to the best of their abilities, and they were prepared to die for it.

The enemy of freedom today takes many forms. In the days of our founding fathers, the enemy of freedom was a ruthless, political regime. This enemy of freedom still continues to hold sway in many areas around the globe, and can even raise its ugly head in this country which was the first to defend freedom as a political right for everyone. We are fortunate, however, to live in a country where we are free to face our own demons.

In America today, the enemies of freedom are many and subtle. They have sometimes manifested themselves, without, through political and military arrogance by interfering, preemptively, with the rights of sovereign nations, such as Vietnam and Iraq, rather than defending those very rights our country has pledged to uphold. These enemies, which cause so much hardship and suffering, are also apparent, within, in today’s culture. A culture of self indulgence: drugs, alcohol, promiscuous sex, and obsessive greed. These abuses undermine the freedom of all, and jeopardize the health of communities around America.

We need, not only to pray, but to work constantly for a rebirth of freedom in our country, the kind of freedom that manifests itself in commitment to put our own house in order by resisting disinterested self-indulgence and by giving witness to the true values of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness for everyone.

We possess freedom of religion and worship according to our conscience. We possess freedom of speech, and freedom to pursue opportunities in life. These are great blessings. But, do we possess inner freedom? The chains that enslave our freedoms come from within us. They are the heavy chains of pride, greed, jealousy, revenge, and hatred. Are you bound by any of these chains? Unless you free yourself from these chains, you will never be free. That is the high price of freedom.

“The best things in life,” it is said, “are free”: the air we breathe, the vast expanse of this beautiful universe, the gift of love and the urge to help one another, the blessings of family and friends, and the redemptive love of Christ ( agape ) to reform human nature itself. All these blessings of nature, art, and worship are free to be enjoyed by anyone in this beautiful land of ours. In spite of our flaws, we are able to celebrate the birth and spread of freedom which was won for us on Independence Day. This blessed, inalienable right of freedom, however, must be newly won, daily, by people of good will throughout this great land of ours “from sea to shining sea.” That is the genius of America which continues to value freedom above all other human and political rights.

God bless America!

Happy Independence Day!

Fr. Hugh Duffy