Dear Friends,

Alleluia, Alleluia. Let the nations rejoice and the peoples exalt, for You shall judge the people in equity, and shall guide the nations on the earth. Psalm 67:4

This weekend we Americans celebrate Independence Day, this year being the 232nd anniversary. On this occasion, we give thanks to almighty God for his manifold blessings on our great country, the United States of America.

America is truly a unique phenomenon in the history of the world. Over the last two centuries our nation has enjoyed unprecedented prosperity and at the same time has done an impressive service of providing for the welfare of her citizens. The United States has also provided valuable humanitarian service to other nations, such as in the aftermath of the 1988 earthquake in Armenia.

Our Constitution guarantees its citizens basic human dignity and rights: freedom of religion, freedom of expression,freedom of press, right to private property,righto travel almost unlimited, etc.Todayno one can be denied a job because of his/her racial or religious background. Our ability to express opinion and elect leadership on both the federal and local level is something that we almost take for granted.

These are blessings, which relatively few other nations have enjoyed in history. It is for this reason that so many desire to immigrate to the United States. Even today as we struggle with the downturn in our economy and serious unemployment challenges, brothers and sisters of other lands still envy the great freedoms that we enjoy in the “land of the free and home of the brave” and dream of moving here.

Thanks be to God that the Unites States embraced our forebares, who escaped traumatized and penniless from the massacres of 1895 and genocide of 1915 in the homeland; and in more recent times from the persecutions in Azerbaijan, the poverty in Armenia and the instability of the Middle East.

Of course, none of this could be possible without the great vision of our founding fathers as well as of successive generations of wise leaders. Also, we must record the valiant efforts of our military servicemen and servicewomen, who have sacrificed and continue to sacrifice the comforts of home, often giving their lives in defense of our precious freedoms.

For me the greatness of our county is not only its vast natural beauty (nearly every variety of climate is found here) and resources, but also the varied racial and ethnic mosaic represented here.

On this Independence Day let us pray that the Lord our God bless these United States of America.
       

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With prayers.
Hayr Simeon
July 6, 2008