Declaring and Doing

Armodoxy for Today: Declaring and Doing

For years, part of my office decor has been a framed copy of the Declaration of Independence. This is the document that was signed on this day, the fourth of July in 1776, by a group of men who were expressing their dream of freedom and independence. They proclaimed that there were “self-evident” truths, “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.” And with these words the experiment in democracy, the United States of America, was born.

I find these thoughtful and beautifully crafted words to be sacred, because they express the inner dreams of humankind. In the Declaration of Independence can be heard the cries of the human soul for rights and equalities. Certainly, true religion has and always must advocate for those rights.

The Armenian Church has lived within monarchies, kingdoms, dictatorships, oppressive and barbaric regimes, and even through atheistic Soviet society. The Gospel Message of Christ is greater than any political ideology and within the expression of the ancient Apostolic Church, that Message maintains its integrity despite the political climate of the age.

Declaring these truths is only half of the story. Living out the dream with our actions is the other half. The Independence Day celebration grants us an opportunity to reflect on our responsiveness to freedom and liberty, to the declarations we make, and to how those declarations are played out.

Today’s one-minute for Summertime and a bit for today’s Celebration.

We pray for America, we pray for ourselves, and we pray for our Armenian Church today. Heavenly Father, bless those who bless you. Give wisdom to leaders. Keep us vigilant in our commitment to pursue that which is necessary for our lives. And keep us focused on our commitment to work for peace on earth and good will toward one another. Amen.