July 2002

Dearest Friends

Thank you for watching and supporting with your prayers and financial resources THE WAY HOME television program. During the month of July our thoughts naturally turn to our country with the celebration of the 226th anniversary of the founding of our beloved United States of America. Because of the events of September 11th, this year more than any other in my lifetime, I witnessed a patriotic pride and national brotherhood never before experienced by my post World War II generation.

Mine is a generation whose life as Americans began with the murder of a President. We were born into a country torn by one national internal conflict after another. In our infancy, my generation of Americans witnessed the fury of the Civil Rights movement and the rebellion of our elder brothers and sisters in the "free love" society. We lived under the threat of nuclear holocaust, experienced the anger and confusion of the Vietnam conflict, and witnessed the birth of the new American god of technology with the placing of a man on the moon.

As children and through our adolescence, our formation as Americans included the national disgrace of Watergate. We suffered the disintegration of our families as our parents divorced in record numbers. We watched and learned as religion was ridiculed and the time-honored virtues of respect, care and honor for others, as well as the principals of personal integrity were tossed aside for such "more progressive" pursuits as the institution of abortion. We learned well the lessons of the "Me First" generation.

Our first sense of national pride was experienced from somewhat afar when, as young adults, we watched our parents celebrate the final chapter of the World War II era with the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the fall of Communism in Russia and Eastern Europe. This was followed quickly by our first taste of true national patriotism as our country pulled together to execute Operation Desert Storm and win the Gulf War Conflict. This experience was short-lived, however. Now as fully capable and responsible citizens, we found ourselves plunged back into cynicism by the actions of our nations leaders as we watched the highest office in our land disgraced and made a mockery by public lies, unprecedented opulence, abusive indulgences, corruption and scandal of every sort.

Then came September 11th. For the first time, we not only saw but also experienced first hand the best side of our land. Finally, we experienced, up close and personally, what it means to be an American. We witnessed authentic concern for others and heroic self-sacrifice that heretofore we had only read about. We participated in and enjoyed a patriotic swell not experienced in our land since World War II. And yet, less than a year later, it seems to many of my contemporaries that we are headed back down the same old road with the Red-Cross donations scandal, the recent ruling of our Pledge of Allegiance as "unconstitutional", and the current corporate financial scandals.

Today, the men and women of my generation now find ourselves entering into leadership in our families as well as in our careers, our churches and our communities. As we move into these new levels of authority and responsibility, I choose to learn from, not resent, the warts of our country witnessed by my generation and reject the cynicism and apathy in us born from these events. Not just because I have seen and tasted for myself the best of America in the past 12 months, but because I believe with all my heart that this country was formed for a purpose by the hand of our good God. It is in Him that I hope, not in my fellow Americans, for He alone is called "Faithful and True".

Soon, it will be up to my generation of Americans to lead this land. We must choose how we will lead, whether we will follow the example of our fathers where in man we trust or return to the example of our forefathers where in God we trust. As we stand at the threshold of this new responsibility, I pray that we do so with all that is most noble and honorable in the Christian spirit and that we will have the fortitude to leave behind all that has proved empty and worthless in our past and have the courage to embrace and promote the very best of who we are as a people. My heart is full of love for our country and the desire to fulfill the hope expressed by George Washington when in 1788 he handed off the leadership of the country to the next generation: "No one can rejoice more than I do at every step the people of this great country take to preserve the union, establish good order and government, and to render the nation happy at home and respectable abroad. No country upon earth ever had it more in its power to attain these blessings than United America. Wondrously strange then, and much to be regretted indeed would it be, were we to neglect the means, and to depart from the road which Providence has pointed us, so plainly; I cannot believe it will ever come to pass. The Great Governor of the Universe has led us too long and too far on the road to happiness and glory, to forsake us in the midst of it. By folly and improper conduct, proceeding from a variety of causes, we may now and then get bewildered; but I hope and trust that there is good sense and virtue enough left to recover the right path before we shall be entirely lost."

May our good God bless these United States of America and empower us with all of the gifts and fruits of your Holy Spirit. By the merits of the death and resurrection of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, we ask you to forgive our sins and heal the heart of our land. May the light of Christ's virtue and the love witnessed by our lives be a light and inspiration for our countrymen and turn the heart of our nation back to you. Mother Mary, Patron of the Americas, pray for us.

We invite you to visit THE WAY HOME web site at lumen2000.com where you will find a number of other prayers to use in your devotional life. You will also find there Father Bob Hilz's commentary on the scripture readings for daily Mass, book lists on the Holy Spirit and Spiritual direction, clips from the program and copies of our monthly newsletters.

Thank you for supporting THE WAY HOME. We continue to actively solicit your financial support as we seek to serve the Lord with our whole hearts. THE WAY HOME is a nonprofit ministry that maintains its existence through the support of viewers like you. We appreciate your assistance in the past and ask that you continue your financial support as the Lord provides the means.  You may make a contribution now by credit card through or secure server by clicking here.

You may  submit your prayer intentions which we will be lifted up daily by our staff, at the weekly prayer gathering of our community and at various masses during the week. Also,  you may order the video or audio tape we are offering this month, entitled "American Heritage," narrated by Bobbie J. Cavnar. He tells the story of how we became the great nation we are today, using direct quotes from Christopher Columbus, who said, "It was the Lord who put into my mind, I could feel His hand upon me, the fact that it would be possible to sail from here to the Indies."

May the peace and protection of Christ our Lord be with you, our President, our political and judicial leaders, all of our countrymen and especially our service men and women. God bless America!

Forever in His Service,

Mike Wagner Lead Coordinator Christian Community of God's Delight