A God and a Country of Second Chances

Politics always makes for interesting discussions.  As such, it wasn’t much of a surprise that the political goings on in our country became the topic of discussion at my weekly men’s breakfast group.

Everyone agreed that this political election season seems to bring out the worst in our candidates. More and more elections seem to be about personality and less about policy. It seems to be a contest of who can be the most clever name caller.

At the same time this country appears to be in dire straits with the acceptance and promotion by many of abortion, transgender and LBGQT rights, and the DEI agenda infiltrating schools, the workplace, and the military. As one of my buddies commented, “it’s gone to hell in handbasket.” The negatives appear overwhelming.

A couple of us called ‘time out” and suggested we turn our attention for a moment to what’s great about this country to offset the negativity in the room. If there is any hope for the future it will have to depend on what is good about our nation.

It was gratifying how quickly the responses came out on what makes the USA great. In many respects it reflected a litany of the Bill of Rights – freedom of speech and religion, freedom of assembly, etc. Comments also reflected the classical underpinning of the Declaration of Independence – the right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.

A country of second chances

I brought up that what is really unique is that we are a nation of second chances in so many ways. Compared to other countries that I have visited we are not locked into a career or job based on a test in high school.

In the USA people can pick and choose a future career, and fail or succeed based on their own work effort and merit. We can fail and try again and again. That certainly was the case for me. Who would have thought that a blue-collar construction worker, enlisted rank GI, and one time college dropout, would end up with a PhD?

Our second chances are not just for education, careers and running a business. If we run afoul of the law and do diligent rehabilitation, we get a second chance to become productive citizens. The list could go on and on.

Another exceptional aspect of a second chance nation like ours is the ability to recognize faults and work toward correcting them. Our country is just like us as individuals in that it is not perfect and makes mistakes. Slavery and racial injustice are the most visible national examples. Part of that second chance mindset is that we can change – for the better.

The question emerged – why is there a second chance mentality here? I believe our nation’s second chance character is directly the result of the Judeo-Christian ethic and mindset that has been the underpinning of our government philosophy and cultural milieu since the beginning. That underpinning involves a “second chance God”.

A second chance God

Our God is a second chance God in so many ways. The Old Testament covenant history reflects that. From the time of Adam and Eve in the garden, to Noah and the flood, and to the numerous second chances given the Jewish people, God forgives and says basically “get up and try again”

“I have brushed away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the mist; return to me,  for I have redeemed you” (Isaiah 44:22).

The ultimate second chance is of course Jesus Christ. He performed the ultimate second chance from God. Our faith in Jesus Christ is one in which we believe we have a second chance and can be transformed – to change for the better.

The Catholic Church as established by Him, provides the grace of second chances through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Just think of the hundreds of times in a lifetime we can go to confession.  God forgives our sins and gives us a second chance, over and over again.

“If we acknowledge our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing” (1 John 1:9).

A thanksgiving for second chances

In the litany of things we are thankful for, at the top of my list is that of both a God and a nation of second chances. To me that is one of the greatest blessings bestowed on us.

Former President Ronald Reagan, in his state of the union address in 1988, used the term for America as that of a great shining “city on the hill” reflective of Matthew 5:14. That passage referred to Jesus telling us that we can be a positive force as a “light unto the world.” Reagan’s was an analogy of our country being one of hope and opportunity. I would add that being a country of second chances is part of that.

In that light, my prayer is that a second chance God steers us toward a second chance for our nation to be what it has always had the potential to be. For that to happen, I believe we must return to our Judeo-Christian roots as guides for our governmental policies.

Implications

Every election season is a second chance to voice the concerns previously mentioned by my breakfast group.  Protecting the sanctity of life and marriage, reiterating the importance of recognizing the reality of two genders, and the importance of merit in education, the workplace and the military, are all actions taken when we vote.