Spirit of gentleness: July 4.

JULY 4

Isaiah 66:10-14; Psalm 66:1-9; Galatians 6:(1-6), 7-16; Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Scripture has much to say about our citizenship in the Christian community and in civil society. As Christians, we claim a tradition in which our first loyalty is solely to God, the source of life. This God has protected and liberated us, as the psalmist recalls: "Come and see what God has done.... He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot" (Psalm 66:5-6). Our God brought us from enslavement to the freedom of new citizenship in God's reign.

Paul reminds us, however, that citizenship in the Christian community, as in civil society, includes fights and responsibilities. We must assume responsibility for our actions, "For all must carry their own loads" (Galatians 6:5). More important, when another makes a mistake, we are not only to treat them with "a spirit of gentleness," but to "Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:1-2).

Christians have always struggled to reconcile the law of Christ with civic duty and have done so in different ways. St. Martin of Tours left the Roman army following his conversion to Christianity, claiming, "I am a soldier of Christ, and it is not lawful for me to fight." John Carroll, the first Catholic bishop of the United States, worked closely with Benjamin Franklin and other leaders of the nascent union to strengthen the democratic movements of both church and state: "Freedom and independence, acquired by the united efforts, and cemented with the mingled blood of Protestant and Catholic fellow-citizens, should be equally enjoyed by all...."

As citizens of heaven and Earth, we also must choose how best to live the law of love in Christian and civic communities. Both communities demand our involvement and responsible action to seek "freedom and independence" for all, and to treat others with "a spirit of gentleness."