SUNDAY, JULY 6, 2008

THE EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

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Dear Friends in Our Lord Jesus:

A precocious three-year-old was in one of those joyful stages where she asked how much everything cost. "How much does this cost?" she would ask, holding up an apple, or pointing to a tree, or motioning toward a bridge. One day she pointed to a flag of the United States and asked: "How much does THAT cost?"

On this weekend following July 4 -- the 232nd anniversary of the publication of our Declaration of Independence -- let us remember that freedom is never free. And our nation's war of independence from England was no exception. Consider these important facts about the 56 men who signed the original declaration: Nine were immigrants, two were brothers, two were cousins, one was an orphan; their average age was 45 (the oldest, Benjamin Franklin, was 70, the youngest, Thomas Lynch Jr., was 27); 18 were merchants or businessmen, 12 were farmers, 22 were lawyers or judges, 4 were clergymen or doctors.

Of the 56 signers, 17 served in the military during the war. Five were captured by the British. Another, Abraham Clark of New Jersey, had two sons captured by the British. And the son of another, John Witherspoon of New Jersey, was killed at the Battle of Germantown. Eleven others had their homes or property destroyed. The wife of New York signer Francis Lewis was also captured. At least a dozen others depleted their personal savings to finance the war effort.

And what about our faith as Christians? How much does THAT cost? First, it cost the Lord Jesus His life on a hard Roman cross -- a Life freely given so that we might live freely in Him.

Among the apostles of our Lord: Peter the fisherman was crucified upside-down in Rome. James the "brother of our Lord" and James the son of Zebedee were killed by mobs. Matthew the tax collector was slain by the sword in Ethiopia. Philip the mild-mannered clerk was hanged in Phrygia. Nathaniel Bartholomew was flayed alive in Armenia. Andrew was crucified in Persia. Thomas was pierced with a lance in India. James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Jude Thaddeus were murdered. John, the beloved disciple, died an old man in prison on the Island of Patmos. (Only one of the 12 was not arrested and punished for his faith: Judas Iscariot committed suicide on Good Friday.)

All made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of the Lord. All died so that we might live. And we -- literally and spiritually -- stand on their shoulders today.

-- The Very Rev. Dr. Steve Sellers +