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land. We think also of those countless fathers and mothers who passed on the

faith to their children, the steady ministry of the many priests who devoted

their lives to the care of souls, and the incalculable contribution made by so

many men and women religious, who not only taught generations of children

how to read and write, but also inspired in them a lifelong desire to know

God, to love him and to serve him. How many ''spiritual sacrifices pleasing to

God'' have been offered up in these two centuries! In this land of religious

liberty, Catholics found freedom not only to practice their faith, but also to

participate fully in civic life, bringing their deepest moral convictions to the

public square and cooperating with their neighbors in shaping a vibrant,

democratic society. Today's celebration is more than an occasion of gratitude

for graces received. It is also a summons to move forward with firm resolve to

use wisely the blessings of freedom, in order to build a future of hope for

coming generations.

''You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people he

claims for his own, to proclaim his glorious works''.10 These words of the

Apostle Peter do not simply remind us of the dignity which is ours by God's

grace; they also challenge us to an ever greater fidelity to the glorious in-

heritance which we have received in Christ.11 They challenge us to examine

our consciences, to purify our hearts, to renew our baptismal commitment to

reject Satan and all his empty promises. They challenge us to be a people of

joy, heralds of the unfailing hope 12 born of faith in God's word, and trust in

his promises.

Each day, throughout this land, you and so many of your neighbors pray

to the Father in the Lord's own words: ''Thy Kingdom come''. This prayer

needs to shape the mind and heart of every Christian in this nation. It needs

to bear fruit in the way you lead your lives and in the way you build up your

families and your communities. It needs to create new ''settings of hope'' 13

where God's Kingdom becomes present in all its saving power.

Praying fervently for the coming of the Kingdom also means being con-

stantly alert for the signs of its presence, and working for its growth in every

sector of society. It means facing the challenges of present and future with

10 1 Pet 2:9. 11 Cf. Eph 1:18. 12 Cf. Rom 5:5. 13 Cf. Spe Salvi, 32ff.