June 14, 2020 is Flag Day.

In the midst of all the tumult and tension that the American flag and the anthem called “The Star Spangled Banner” can conjure up in the hearts and minds of so many today, it still stands for so many eternal truths of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness that our country has tried to get right for more than 200 years.

It has tried and failed a number of times in a number of ways.

But, it still tries to be a beacon of hope for the world. And I think the opportunities that it affords so many is one of the reasons why so many opt to, at great personal risk, come here to start new lives.

What will our children think of the new normal of social-distancing and hunkering down?

What do they think of the death of George Floyd and the arson, looting and loss of personal property and life of police officers across this land?

Who are the stakeholders in this tension of what we believe and what we act on? Who will rebuild whole communities destroyed?

I keep thinking of a quote by Martin Luther King, Jr. who said:

“Darkness cannot be driven out by darkness; only light can do that.”

Maybe he meant that, yes, we do need to shine a light where no light exists to correct wrongs. But, I think he believed that more violence, arson and destruction will not eliminate a wrong, but merely compound the lack of light.

We are a nation of symbols, and the American flag is one of the most stunning. Yes, the American eagle is as well. But is does not fly above stadiums and Little League fields as “The Star Spangled Banner is sung.

June 14th is Flag Day when ‘Old Glory,” as she is known, is flown and honored.

If you and your family are looking for a great starter picture book on the American flag, then “F is For Flag is a grand place to start. Written by Wendy Cheyette Lewison and illustrated by Barbara Duke, it’s a great picture book to read together.

It says that the flag can mean many things to many people. That is certainly true today.

But ultimately, through good times and not so good, it has been a sign of national unity and the idea that we are all one people, one promise, one hope for the future of a better world for our children.

Let us pray today for our country, its flag and its people; that all three may be honored in justice and peace.