Patriotism

By: Grayson Filippis

Author’s Note: Hello to all readers that have either strongly agreed or strongly disagreed with me on my previous articles. It is my hope that today, as you read my article, you find a simple, understandable message that is lighthearted in comparison to my previous editions. To my new readers: This series of articles is designed for teens that want to know more about political and moral issues, as well as what we as Catholics believe regarding them. It breaks the issue at hand down into three parts: Issue Overview, Catholic Slant, and what I like to call the Adolescent Assignment. I will generally follow a monthly theme, but will also take requests if I see fit. If you would like to ask a question or bring a certain issue to my attention, please email us at themichigander21@gmail.com.

Patriotism

Issue Overview

So, we’ve reached the end of Summer. Sad, but true. This Summer, you may have had a family barbeque, you may have not. You may have gone to a parade, and you may have not. You hopefully were able to go outside and enjoy the beautiful weather, but, once again, maybe not. You may have also celebrated the Fourth of July… or not.

Now, there was a bit of a lingering question in July about if people should be celebrating Independence Day. Some of the people anti-celebration were Christians making the argument that we shouldn’t celebrate our country when our allegiance should be to God in Heaven. Some people didn’t want to celebrate because they didn’t like the state of the country right now, and there were of course other reasons as well. Meanwhile the Hulk Hogans of the world (no comments on him yet, only facts on the matter in the Issue Overview) had the good ol’ fireworks-and-flag-waving routines, preaching about how this is a great country in which we can live our lives and believe in God freely. And even though there were different sides of the debate, it wasn’t messy at all really. People would say what they had to say, and everybody would get out without much of a scratch. People seemed to realize that I was writing about the world’s issues, and that I’d had enough of all of their fighting antics. It was very nice of these people to go easy on me for once. Fortunately though, there was still enough debate for me to break it down for you…

Catholic Slant

Here’s the interesting thing about this particular Catholic Slant: it’s not a worldwide issue, so it doesn’t affect all Catholics. It only affects the people living in the United States of America. Now that I’ve explained that, we can get underway.

I’d like to start by saying rest in peace to Hulk Hogan. He loved his country and the society around him. Although he strayed from Jesus during his pro career, he surrendered to Jesus at the age of 70, and opened up about his faith. Before that, he taught young people the importance of a good work ethic and having a healthy body. If you don’t know who he is, go do a quick Google search about his faith and you’re sure to be impressed.

So, do we as Catholics support this patriotism or not? We can look to our good friend, St. Paul, for help. Paul tells us in Romans 13: 1-7 that we should be subject and obedient to our Earthly leaders, as they were appointed for a reason under God. He also writes, “Pay to all what is due to them: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, and honor to whom honor is due.” This is huge in our country, as we contribute to our society by being good citizens and should show respect to our leaders and especially our military. It’s extremely important to support our troops because they fight for us and others who can’t fight for themselves.

Some may argue that Jesus wouldn’t approve of human countries and borders. But he never said anything close to that. He taught us to treat all humans with dignity and as children of God, and to love our neighbor, yes. He also, though, said to be obedient and loyal to God the Father as well as earthly authorities. Besides, if you’re going to be loyal to a country, God chose an easy country to support. Our country is great in particular because we have the freedom to worship Our Lord, Jesus Christ without punishment. 

Adolescent Assignment

All of us young teens can support our country in plenty of different ways. You can call a veteran you know on Veterans Day and most definitely pray for them. You could also go to an Independence Day parade, watch a fireworks show, even buy a hat with an American flag on it. It’s also good to thank God for all the opportunities he’s given us by living in the United States. There are many ways to do any of these things, and I’m positive that there are more ways for you to complete the assignment that you could come up with yourself. The final thing you should do to complete this assignment is be a good citizen. Contribute to your earthly homeland so you can contribute to your worth in Heaven. Spend your time on Earth in a way that will help you reach the final destination.

-Grayson Filippis

Please pray for the soul of the Late Terry Gene “Hulk Hogan” Bollea, for whom this edition is dedicated to.

Sources:

Bible Gateway

The Michael Knowles Show

Bob Russel Ministries