When I was in high school, I memorized the date on which the Magna Carta was signed (June 1215), but I had no idea why it was important. But now I know! Before that time, English kings (and other strongman rulers) could do whatever they wanted to their subjects, including taking their private property, taxing them heavily to pay for their comforts, preventing them from religious worship, or putting them in prison for no reason. The Magna Carta was the first agreement by the king and wealthy barons that everyone – including the king and his successors – should follow a written law. When the U.S. president and members of Congress are sworn into their office, they take an oath to preserve and obey the Constitution of the United States along with its 27 amendments over the years. This written document defines how we are to live together and govern ourselves as Americans. It describes how the three branches of government work together in a system of checks and balances. It also defines our freedoms and our rights, noting that all persons deserve “the equal protection of the laws” (14th Amendment). By adhering to the Constitution, we provide order and stability to our society.  The Gospel – the actions and teachings of Jesus – comes to us in a written form, but it is not the same kind of document. It does, however, provide “a lamp beneath our feet” to guide us on good moral and spiritual paths. The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, chapters 5-7, is an example of how Christians should live. Here our Master calls us to “forgive even those who hate us”, to “treat others as we would like to be treated” and to “build our house on the solid rock of charitable actions”. In our baptism, we are pledging to follow these rules of order. – – – Fr. Jim