I have fond memories of celebrating this holiday every year. While I haven’t always been completely satisfied with the leadership of our country, during both democratic and republican presidencies, this was the one day each year we came together in unity to celebrate our common love of country, to be proud of our nation and give thanks for living in this land. But this year, leading up to the 4th of July, the week was full of disappointments. And that’s really an understatement!

I’m so proud of you. When you’re a kid—or an adult—you long to hear those words from a parent, a teacher, a coach. Too often what we feel is shame. That we’re not good enough. Smart enough. Attractive enough. Talented enough.

Jesus is passing through a Samaritan Village on his journey to Jerusalem. But the Samaritans would not receive him because he was focused on Jerusalem. It may seem that the Samaritans are rude or uninviting, but this little snapshot of scripture is not the full story.

In this week’s Gospel we hear about demons and possession. For many of us these are things that we would dismiss as fiction. Before we dismiss the weight of demonic possession in this text, I’d urge you to consider that the reason people tell stories is to share wisdom and deep truths about life, humanity, ethics, faith. This story of deliverance carries with it truths about identity, restoration, and community.