July is largely defined by one day – Independence Day. We remember the declaring of our independence by holding barbeques, shooting fireworks and not going to work. In our part of the world, it brings the beginning of summer in most years.
What we often forget is the revolutionary nature of those actions taken so long ago. We launched our colonies on a collision course with England who held almost all the advantages in that military contest.
We seem to have forgotten our own history, which teaches that a small band of volunteers can defeat a much larger and better equipped military force if that group is dedicated and willing to make more sacrifices than the other guys.
And we have forgotten the power and importance of sacrifices in the life of a people. We appear to dislike any sacrifices at all.
We want everything effortlessly and without cost. But we have also forgotten that the word sacrifice is derived from two root words, which when combined mean “to make sacred.”
When we sacrifice, we make our actions sacred or holy – set apart and made pure by the offering that asks for no reward. A sacrifice is a gift, given freely to make better the world around us.
Sacrifices are not about loss. If we believe that sacrifice is mostly about loss, then we may be reluctant to sacrifice at all or, perhaps, only for those we love deeply.
July should remind us of those who sacrificed for people they did not know and even did not like. July should remind us of those who made their efforts pure and holy by offering them, including the gift of their lives, so that we might relax, watch fireworks and take time from our labors.
Lincoln’s remarks at Gettysburg were about a terrible July battle. But Lincoln understood sacrifice in its deepest meaning when he said:
“But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract.
“The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.
“It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.”
July is our time to give thanks for all who sacrificed for us. May it always be so.
The Rev. Dr. Dennis S. Tierney is the rector of Saint Barnabas Episcopal Church
