“Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!” (Patrick Henry - March 23, 1775) I have always felt goose bumps when I hear these words spoken! These were the powerful words spoken that encouraged this great country in its infancy to stand tall against the oppression of a mighty force. These were also words heard by the Orthodox families living in the Colonial Williamsburg such as the families of Colonel Philip Ludwell III and John Paradise. And those very words still inspire me today and I can only imagine what impact they had on those living at the time. That motivation and our unstoppable militia have made “liberty” a cornerstone description of the American way of life, freedom from oppression and freedom to choose, or at least as far as our government will allow!
Liberty can be either our salvation or our death. We can choose to simply live for ourselves and marinate in the infected stinky sauces of the world and reject the reason we were created. We can recognize that a mighty dark force is alive and growing and Christianity is continually being persecuted even here in our great nation by heresy, crooked politics and the unrepentant social and financial pursuit of Sodom and Gomorrah. Or we can awaken to the call of the midnight ride and stand tall! We must act, just as our forefathers of this great nation did, and not be run over by the corruption in our government, in our cities and even in our churches. Our call to action must be in the form of daily prayer, church attendance, electing candidates with the most scripture-anchored record, and speaking the truth in love as we combat a society thirsty for the truth, as the evangelist Luke wrote: “for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all those who oppose you shall not be able to contradict nor withstand.” [Lk. 21:15]
The apostles were ordinary, unlearned men. Yet they were called to be God’s militia, armed with the Mosaic Law, the teachings of Christ, and the Gift of the Holy Spirit. You too have been called and given those very same gifts. You too can do all things when the Lord is in your camp. Apostle Paul wrote these words of encouragement : “Keep on standing fast therefore in the freedom with which Christ set us free, and cease being held fast again with a yoke of slavery. [Gal. 5:1] You are the very same militia that this nation once called upon to rid itself of a tyrant, only the era has changed and the mighty tyrant has become that blind liar we see when we gaze into a mirror! We are slowly rotting away as our morals decay. We are persuaded to accept societies will, instead of the will of our Father.
Freedom isn’t free. “For, brethren, ye were called to freedom; only use not the freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but by love, be serving as slaves to one another.” [Gal. 5:13] It is our choice, to be enslaved to the world and its mighty corruption or to seek freedom by surrendering our mighty force of free-will to the enlisted services of our Great Lord and Commander. As the Apostle Paul to the church in Corinth: “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” [2 Cor. 3:17] May the Lord help us to find freedom from these chains of sin. Glory to Thee, O Lord, Glory to Thee!
Fr. Gabriel Weller 7-5-2026
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