4 July 2026

4 July 2026 - Independence Day

Transcript

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Since we are in the July 4th weekend, I thought I would begin by talking about eagles. There are four points I would like to make.

The first point is how eagles make their nests. They intertwine the twigs, and line the nest with feathers so that their eaglets have a comfortable place to grow. However, when it is time for them to leave the nest, the parents remove the feathers and snap the twigs so that it becomes uncomfortable for the eaglets to stay in the nest.

Sometimes God has to do that with us. We get so comfortable in our lives and spiritual way of doing things that God… shakes us up. He disrupts our comfortable spiritual life in ways that we wish did not happen. God snaps the twigs when we become too comfortable and refuse to grow. That is not a comfortable place to be, but… God knows when we are ready to leave the nest – when we are ready for a change, so to speak. He has done that a lot of times to me. That is why I have worked in twenty-one parishes in the archdiocese. Um, sorry to disappoint any of you, but I am not looking for another change. I am not going anyplace else. One of the jokes priests tell is that they are assured of pleasing everyone in a parish – some when he comes, the rest when he leaves. It is not my time to leave here yet. I am hoping to leave here only into retirement – and I do not see that even on the horizon.

The second point is that a parent eagle will hover just out of reach of the eaglet with food. This only happens when the eaglet is ready to fly, but refuses to leave the nest – to trust its own abilities. The parent stays off away from the nest with the food to force the young eagle to reach for the food. And, often – at first, the young eagle falls. While it can’t quite fly, it slows its dissent enough that the parent can swoop beneath and catch the young eagle on its back and bring it back to the nest. This is repeated until the young eagle learns it can fly.

From the Bible: Deuteronomy 32:11 – “As an eagle incites its nestlings, hovering over its young, So he spread his wings, took them, bore them upon his pinions.” God stretches us, but more importantly he catches us when we fall. Sometimes it may not seem like he catches us very well, especially when we yield to temptations and fall into sin. Or when a tragedy – like death – invades our lives. But he is there to catch us and to lift us back into his safety – lift us back to the nest. He promises and delivers his forgiveness and mercy.

The third point is how eagles prefer to fly. Oh, they can flap their wings and get up off the ground. I saw a bald eagle do that once. But their preference is to be at a height and wait for an updraft of the wind, open their wings, and fall forward into the wind and let it carry them up.

From the Bible: Isaiah 40:30-31 – “Though young men faint and grow weary, and youths stagger and fall, They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on eagles’ wings; They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.”

Of course, that is the origin of the song: “and God will raise you up on eagle’s wings…” So, it is quite natural for us to fall into the “wind” of God; to trust that the updraft of God’s Holy Spirit will raise us up. We need not fear that God will not catch us if we are not ready to fly nor do we need to fear that we will not have the ability to soar on the winds of the Spirit.

Now, I told you there were four points. I have saved my favorite for the last. Eagles have been seen soaring at ten thousand feet! They catch an updraft and ride it above the storm. All other birds head to the ground when there’s a storm. Not an eagle! They love the updraft and the soaring that they can do as the air rises. I imagine we have all seen during the summer months the turkey vultures that circle in the air over Omaha. They are riding on the short updraft of heat that exists in the city. But eagles… They take off and ride a stormall the way to the top.

What is God’s lesson in this for us? Don’t let storms bother you. You are made to soar above the storms, not to be caught in the middle of them. The storms that surround our lives can make it seem as though we have no reason to enjoy life. But God makes it so that we can soar on eagles’ wings above every storm. All we need to do is trust.

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And there is one more point, though it is a negative point. Proverbs 23:5 says: “When your glance flits to [wealth,] it is gone! For assuredly it grows wings, like the eagle that flies toward heaven.”

Have you ever tried to catch a bird? I used to raise canaries and every once in a while one of them would get out of its cage. That was never fun. Proverbs is warning us that we can chase after wealth all we want, but we will never catch enough. “Enough” never quite seems to arrive. Those who fight for gaining wealth seem not to have as much joy in their lives as others.

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I hope you have a good Fourth of July weekend, or week, or whatever you are planning. I remember where I was in nineteen seventy-six at the two hundredth anniversary of the country. I was a Cadet at West Point. I was so young I was not thinking about the two hundred and fiftieth. But, here we are.

And thinking further, I have a couple of quotes from two of our founding fathers. These quotes give us something serious to ponder during this important milestone for our country. The first quote is from George Washington’s farewell address to our nation. He wrote this:

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Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked: Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice ? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.

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The Senate annually reads the entirety of Washington’s final address. The House of Representatives stopped doing that in nineteen eighty-four. Shame on the House of Representatives.

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The second is much shorter. John Adams said: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

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So, on this two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of our country, I think it is good that we reflect on a history written, as well as a future yet to unfold. Without knowing our history, how can we possibly soar? The wings of our country are spread wide to catch the up draft of the example of men of faith who built this country on a morality and a religion unique in the history of the world.

May God continue to bless and grace our country that it may continue to be a witness to Jesus Christ by what we say and do. Happy birthday, America.

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