Soul of America

The word of the LORD came to me: Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre: Thus says the Lord  GOD: Because you are haughty of heart, you say, “A god am I! I occupy a godly throne in the heart of the sea!”—And yet you are a man, and not a god, however you may think yourself like a god.

Oh yes, you are wiser than Daniel, there is no secret that is beyond you. By your wisdom and your intelligence you have made riches for yourself; You have put gold and silver into your treasuries. By your great wisdom applied to your trading you have heaped up your riches; your heart has grown haughty from your riches– therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 

Because you have thought yourself to have the mind of a god, Therefore I will bring against you foreigners, the most barbarous of nations. They shall draw their swords against your beauteous wisdom, they shall run them through your splendid apparel. They shall thrust you down to the pit, there to die a bloodied corpse, in the heart of the sea. Will you then say, “I am a god!” when you face your murderers? No, you are man, not a god, handed over to those who will slay you. You shall die the death of the uncircumcised at the hands of foreigners, for I have spoken, says the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 28:1-10)

Ezekiel speaks to us today.  Many Americans think we occupy a godly throne, that we are heads and shoulders above all other nations. Yes indeed, by our wisdom and our intelligence America has made riches for itself. We have put gold and silver into our treasuries.  However, we have grown haughty from our riches, meaning we are confident we will not fall from our mountaintop.   

Let’s all think again.  America has foreigners that would have us die.  Russian dictators would prefer to thrust us down to the pit, there to die a bloodied corpse, in the heart of the sea.  Am I guilty of exaggeration?  Considering Russian plots against us, I think not.   

Sorry Ezekiel.  We shall NOT die the death of the uncircumcised at the hands of foreigners.  America is diverse, strong, and has character.  Our better angels will serve us.  As author Jon Meacham said in his 2018 book “The Soul of America: The Battle for our Better Angels,” 

For all of our darker impulses, for all of our shortcomings, and for all of the dreams denied and deferred, the experiment begun so long ago, carried out so imperfectly, is worth the fight.  There is, in fact, no struggle more important, and none nobler, than the one we wage in the service of those better angels who, however besieged, are always ready for battle.”

Deacon David Pierce