I am already hearing fireworks exploding around the area on many evenings. They set off at the Fisher Cats stadium close to the church. They are spectacular and light up the sky. I suppose that folks are anticipating July 4^th with a lot of excitement. The fireworks are colorful, impressive, and exhilarating. Even though they may be noisy, we need to have a reminder that we are celebrating Memorial Day this weekend. Our country will be 250 years old. It just so happens that the Church is also celebrating Pentecost on the same weekend. Pentecost is when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples and enflamed them with the love and power to witness Christ. And 2,000 years later we the Church are still celebrating this magnificent solemnity. I do believe that there is a connection between these two special days of remembrance, even though one is older than the other. When the pilgrims and other immigrants first came to America, the reason they came was to reclaim their religious freedom. It was being taken away in Europe by despots and tyrants. Isn’t it true that the practice of one’s own faith is the most important right for a person that nobody should tamper with? And, Pentecost was established to bring all peoples in the world together, to claim their birthright, to celebrate their unity in God. Flames of fire, not fireworks, lit up over their heads. Not bombs, not missiles, but flames of love. That was the Holy Spirit showing the world that the right to practice one’s religious faith without interference is the most fundamental right we have. In history, when dictators tried to take power over this right, nations were doomed to failure. This can happen anytime! So, this weekend, we want to pray that the right of freedom of worship is a fundamental human right that we must protect, otherwise society will fall as it did in Europe back then. War, violence, militarism, occur every 15-20 years on the button. We are beginning to recognize increasingly that only faith can save us; only faith can save the world - Noone else but Jesus!   ~ Fr. John