By Anthony Selvanathan
Special to the Herald
Happy Independence Day, dear readers of the Herald! Although Independence Day is meant to be a day of celebration and festivity, recent events around the world have caused the words of the hymn “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?,” composed by my friend, Tony Alonso (who borrowed the title from the beloved folk song of the same name), to ruminate in my mind: “Will the love that made and formed us, be rejected by the sword? Will the God who cries, ‘Forgiveness is the only way to peace,’ be blocked out by cries of anger? Will the fighting ever cease?”
Indeed, we live in a world that seems marred with strife, discord and division. Whether it’s the wars that are ongoing in places like Gaza, Iran, Israel, Ukraine and Yemen; the national protests over immigration policy in cities like Los Angeles; or the sense of hopelessness that many who have been laid off from their jobs due to economic uncertainty experience, it can be challenging to find cause to be in a joyful mood.
In trying times such as these, I find comfort in the prayer-song composed by Father Jan Michael Joncas during the COVID-19 pandemic: “O shelter me, O shelter me; the way ahead is dark and difficult to see. … I will look back in days to come and realize your faithfulness has led me home. Within your house I’ll find my peace, trusting that in your mercy you have sheltered me.”
I believe that the celebration of Independence Day serves as a clarion call for us to unite with one another in solidarity, just as our Founding Fathers did 249 years ago when they fought for their independence.
This holiday invites all of us to come together in a spirit of unity, not only as Americans who celebrate the freedoms which we enjoy, but also to reaffirm the dignity of all members of the human family — all of us who are formed in “imago Dei,” the image and likeness of God our creator.
Here in Hawaii, we are particularly blessed with the presence of the U.S. military. Not only do service members keep us safe in a world that seems to be enveloped in conflict, they also add to the culture of our islands by providing us with diversity and service. Indeed, many of us have friends or family who have served in the armed forces.
Independence Day offers us an opportunity to express our gratitude to them for their service.
Our military brothers’ and sisters’ selfless service is not unlike the example of servant discipleship that Sts. Damien and Marianne modeled for us. The sacrifice of our fallen men and women who gave their lives for their country and the cause of freedom is reminiscent of the paschal sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who gave his own life out of love for us and the salvation of the world.
Our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, recently said that “humanity cries out and pleads for peace.” As we approach the upcoming July 9 feast of our diocesan patroness, Our Lady of Peace, may we, in this Jubilee Year of Hope, ask for Our Lady’s intercession for peace in our world.
May Our Lady of Peace stir the Holy Spirit within us, that we may be bearers of peace and hope to the troubled world in which we live. In doing so, perhaps the words from the iconic song written by Jill Jackson-Miller in 1955 will ring true: “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”