Our nation has many stories from the myths about Paul Bunyan to the biographies of Presidents. Its overarching story is one of justice, peace, liberty, dignity. It’s from our stories that we create our present and our future. Are we a more truthful people, because we’ve heard the story of George Washington’s “I cannot tell a lie. I chopped down the cherry tree”? Are we a more courageous people, because we’ve seen the valor of soldiers on D-Day? Are we a more just society, because we see the evils of racism and prejudice? Are we becoming more united as we hear President Biden’s plea for unity? Our national story sewn into the fabric of flags, carved into the stone of monuments, and recorded in speeches shapes us. May the plot of our national story reach its climax in a world of justice, peace, unity. And may there never be “The End” to our nation’s role as a main character in a world where the Kingdom of God is at hand.