On July 4, 2026 we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation.
In the Pledge of Allegiance we say, “and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
The original wording of the Pledge of Allegiance, so familiar to us from the time we recited it in grade school, did not contain a reference to God. In 1954, however, after the strong urging of the Knights of Columbus, President Dwight Eisenhower signed into law the addition of the phrase “under God.”
What does one nation under God look like?
Our Lord provides us with the “heart” of a nation, which gives sovereignty to Him. In St. Matthew’s Gospel we hear of a test presented to Jesus by the Pharisees and the Herodians.
They ask, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” (Mt. 22: 17).
Jesus answers, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Mt. 22: 21).
What is hinted in His response is that the taxation about which they complain may indeed be the result of their unfaithfulness to God. If Israel had been giving God His due, they might now not be suffering the burden of taxation from the Roman Empire.
But what is really at the heart of a nation under God comes from Jesus showing them the Roman coin. Each coin had an image of Caesar on it. It was minted and distributed throughout the Empire in his name. Jesus essentially said, “Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.” It is his rightful property so give it back to him, including paying taxes.
More important, however, is giving back to God what belongs to Him. He transcends all human categories. What bears the image and likeness of God in this world? Men and women. We have been made in His image and likeness (cf. Gen. 1: 26), and like the Roman coin, we belong to our Maker. This is the heart of one nation under God.
But what does the United States look like specifically when it is a nation under God?
First, it is a nation in which citizens are not afraid to act according to their faith in all circumstances.
Do we really believe God exists? If so, then our faith would inform our entire life and not just simply one day a week, a few decisions, or a small number of actions. People who really believe are religious 24/7.
Next, one nation under God has citizens who love God in their selfless acts of service toward their neighbor, especially the needy, poor, and abandoned. A nation under God is immensely interested in others.
Finally, a nation under God prioritizes the worship of God and personal prayer, even at the expense of those things that seem most precious to the world – my time, my money, my interests. Our recognition as a nation to the sovereignty of God is in direct proportion to how full our churches are on a Sunday and how many knees are bent in the privacy of our homes.
If we remain humble and remember that spiritual and moral principles give dignity to man and serve as the foundation for our great country, we will continue to be “one nation under God.” This is not a given, however, it is a task of each generation. Our nation awaits our words and actions to always render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, but more important, render unto God what is God’s.
By Monsignor Andrew Baker, Pastor of St. Thomas More, Allentown.
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