Patriotism

 Patriotism means we love our homeland because it is our homeland (or our chosen country because it is our chosen country), not because it is perfect but because it is the home God has given us. Patriotism means we serve, but it doesn't mean we are responsible for everything that everyone in our country does. Patriotism doesn't mean there is something wrong with us if we don't respond with anger when we see problems, nor that we should be angry at those who don't see things the same way we do.

We each do what we can for our country, for its people - for God, who told us to love our neighbor. We each serve as we feel called. For some, that may be political. But for others that may be feeding the poor, or serving the sick, or teaching, or encouraging. For some, it is going to work each day with a smile, showing kindness to those around them.

Patriotism doesn't mean that if things don't go the way we believe they should, that we should despair, as I have seen people seem to advocate, in the past few days. Hope is a virtue; despair is not. As my late son Paul used to tell me, "God is love". It is in God that we place our trust. 

Patriotism means we love our homeland.  We vote. We pray.  We serve, in various ways. Today, we especially appreciate and thank all those who are serving - and those who have served - with so much courage and dedication in our armed services, sometimes with the giving of their lives or health. I would like to thank my son Joe for serving now, my husband Ed for having served, as well as my father Bob, my brother-in-law Jim, and so many others.

May we all serve, in our various ways, with love. 

God bless America.