With all the turmoil going on in Ukraine and defending their nation against the brutal and criminal attacks from Russia and their troops, artillery, missiles, and land mines, may we continue to pray for peace and let these atrocities stop once and for all. It is sad to see Ukraine families be uprooted and living in fear of their lives every day. As an American I think this holiday weekend we can more appreciate the land we live in and recognize how truly we are blessed.
Seeking our freedom from Great Britain we would be engulfed in our Revolutionary War from 1775-1783. This Independence Day we will celebrate with the fireworks, barbecues, ballgames, and the beach, of course, but let us also take a moment and thank God for giving us our independence from Britain centuries ago, 1783 (the end of the Revolutionary War), and becoming a republic, one nation, under God, indivisible: the United States of America. Congress voted in favor of declaring our independence from Great Britain on July 2, 1776, but did not actually complete the process of revising the Declaration of Independence, drafted by Thomas Jefferson until July 4th. It was the beginning of the end of belonging to the monarchy of King George III and the tyranny of Great Britain.
One of the Founding Fathers and signers of the Declaration of Independence was William Floyd, a delegate from New York who resided right here in the Mastic Beach and Shirley area. The birth of a new nation and becoming what it is today did not just happen, as we know. Our history has been marked by moments of our own turmoil and misfortunes, wars, corruption, and setbacks, but America has stood firm on its Constitutional foundation and has triumphed and prospered beyond the dreams of our founding fathers of George Washington, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson.
How ever we celebrate this weekend let us thank God. Perhaps we can express our gratitude in a most profound yet most accessible way: going to Church on Sunday. Let us make going to Mass on Sunday’s part of our lives and become more united with one another and God. We truly do have a lot to be grateful for ~
God Bless America! Have a blessed 4th of July.
Congratulations to all the graduates this year! May you pursue your dreams and always trust God in all your endeavors. Blessings to each of you!
St. Jude, pray for us ~
Blessings,
Fr. Ryan