"He did it for you!"

Happy Fourth of July!

This weekend’s events will be filled with parades elaborate and quaint; family picnics, complete with frisbee, badminton and whiffle ball competitions; hours on sandy beaches; fireworks; baseball and your favorite activities.

For more than two decades our family lived in Bergen County, New Jersey, which abuts New York City, and then over a decade in historic Philadelphia. We are familiar with historic markers, reminders of events which paved the way for national independence and people who led courageously and died heroically. But, we grew accustomed to special sites and overlooked reminders of valor. It wasn’t right to grow callous, thoughtlessly numb to something so precious as personal and national freedom, it just happened as we lived busily. We carelessly became more concerned with dropping clothes off at the dry cleaners and picking up carry-out Chinese dinners and forgot what had happened many years before.

This Sunday, July 3rd, is also “First Sunday,” in churches across the United States. “First Sunday” is traditionally Communion Sunday, when Jesus’ disciples pause to remember Gethsemane, His crucifixion, burial and resurrection. Millions of church goers will “Do this in remembrance of me.” I recently read Choose Love, Not Power, authored by Anthony Campolo. In the book, Campolo relates a story about Communion from his childhood. He and his family were seated behind a lady who became noticeably uneasy as the pastor preached about sin, some of which the lady was apparently guilty. She wept and refused to take a piece of bread and a cup when the symbols of Jesus’ body and blood passed through the pew where she sat. As he observed the lady refusing to partake, Dr. Compolo’s father leaned over the pew and said, “You take it! He did it for you!”

If we were in Philadelphia this weekend, Pat and I would attend a Philly Pops concert on Independence Mall. It is always world class. She and I will never forget the display of fireworks in New York City. We have made plans to be in church this Sunday and I am looking forward to Communion. I’ll take the emblems of the Lord’s body and blood, eat and drink, because “He did it for me.” National freedom has been secured with many lives. Eternal freedom has been purchased by One. I don’t ever want to forget or become spiritually callous, but remember deeply, observe deliberately, and worship humbly.

We’ll see you in church! “He did it for you!”