“Christ died that all men may be free.”

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

Thus begins The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America, composed and signed by the Representatives from thirteen colonies on July 4th, 1776. Who said thirteen was an unlucky number! For us it brought the best fortune outside our faith that this country has to offer. Brave people from the thirteen original colonies declared our human rights, and established a form of government that is to see that no one is ever successful in taking them from us. It is now up to us to resolve that their dreams remain, that their hopes become reality, that their sacrifices were not in vain.

“All men are created equal.” We must never forget that. All people, male and female because of the very fact that they are human and created by God are equal in basic rights with all other human beings. And among these basic rights are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. These are “Inalienable” rights: that means rights that are not capable of being transferred to someone else. Inalienable rights means that you and I and every person born has rights that no one else can legitimately take from us. They can try, they can keep us from exercising those rights, but if they do so they are guilty of abuse of power and will be unsuccessful, ultimately. They will be sinning against the very dignity of human kind; they will be sinning against God who endowed us with those rights.

This Sunday, July 4th, 2010 we celebrate the recognition of our rights to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness which, at one time, the government of England did not permit Americans to exercise. Thank God for these rights. Thank God for those who were brave enough to openly declare them and fight for them, otherwise we might still be under oppression. Pray for those who defend and uphold our democracy. Let us do our best by living lives that honor our God who endows us with Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

May you have an enjoyable Fourth of July.

Fr. Hugh Duffy