In God We Trust, Our National Motto: Let Us Mean It Before It Is Too Late

What do the Beatles' song lyrics and the US money have to do with what is going on in the world today? That is the 64,000 dollar question that we will address in today's article: In God We Trust. First, let us look at some context clues.  Twice in the United States’ history did we turn to put the words, “In God We Trust” on our money. In 1864 as a result of concern over the Civil War and then at the height of the Cold War in 1956.  Both times people in the United States were trying to turn to God and to make out their enemy as God-less.  This was especially true in 1956 when President Eisenhower signed a law passed by the 84th Congress (P.L. 84-140) on July 30, 1956. The President approved a Joint Resolution of the 84th Congress, declaring IN GOD WE TRUST the national motto of the United States. IN GOD WE TRUST was first used on paper money in 1957 when it appeared on the one-dollar silver certificate. The first paper currency bearing the motto entered circulation on October 1, 1957.

First, Paul McCartney wrote these lyrics for the Beatles' song Let It Be. It is all 

about the words of wisdom gained through the Blessed Mother Mary. 

When I find myself in times of trouble

Mother Mary comes to me

Speaking words of wisdom

Let it be

And in my hour of darkness

She is standing right in front of me

Speaking words of wisdom

Let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be

Whisper words of wisdom

Let it be

And when the broken-hearted people

Living in the world agree

There will be an answer

Let it be

For though they may be parted there is

Still a chance that they will see

There will be an answer

Let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be

Yeah, there will be an answer

Let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be

Whisper words of wisdom

Let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be

Whisper words of wisdom

Let it be

And when the night is cloudy

There is still a light that shines on me

Shine until tomorrow

Let it be

I wake up to the sound of music

Mother Mary comes to me

Speaking words of wisdom

Let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be

There will be an answer

Let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be

There will be an answer

Let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be

Whisper words of wisdom

Let it be

Second, the motto IN GOD WE TRUST was placed on United States coins largely because of the increased religious sentiment existing during the Civil War. Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase received many appeals from devout persons throughout the country, urging that the United States recognize the Deity on United States coins. From Treasury Department records, it appears that the first such appeal came in a letter dated November 13, 1861. It was written to Secretary Chase by Rev. M. R. Watkinson, Minister of the Gospel from Ridleyville, Pennsylvania, and read:

Dear Sir: You are about to submit your annual report to Congress respecting the affairs of the national finances.

One fact touching our currency has hitherto been seriously overlooked. I mean the recognition of the Almighty God in some form on our coins.

You are probably a Christian. What if our Republic were not shattered beyond reconstruction? Would not the antiquaries of succeeding centuries rightly reason from our past that we were a heathen nation? What I propose is that instead of the goddess of liberty we shall have next inside the 13 stars a ring inscribed with the words PERPETUAL UNION; within the ring, the all-seeing eye, crowned with a halo; beneath this eye, the American flag, bearing in its field stars equal to the number of the States united; in the folds of the bars the words GOD, LIBERTY, LAW.

This would make a beautiful coin, to which no possible citizen could object. This would relieve us from the ignominy of heathenism. This would place us openly under the Divine protection we have personally claimed. From my heart, I have felt our national shame in disowning God as not the least of our present national disasters.

To you first I address a subject that must be agitated.

As a result, Secretary Chase instructed James Pollock, Director of the Mint at Philadelphia, to prepare a motto, in a letter dated November 20, 1861:

Dear Sir: No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense. The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins.

You will cause a device to be prepared without unnecessary delay with a motto expressing in the fewest and tersest words possible this national recognition.

Third, in the middle of the Cold War with Communism, many Americans wanted to completely separate themselves from the Godless Communists and thought making this the national motto of the United States would be the perfect solution.  It clearly acted a bright level between the forces of good and evil.  It left no wiggle room in the imagination where Americans stood in that battle.

The problem has become that in the last almost sixty years a great shift has taken place on this earth.  It was not climate change but it was, it was polar ice caps melting but it was, and it was women’s reproductive rights but it was.  It was all that and so much more.  The Americans turned their backs on their national motto and began to trust things outside of God.  They began to believe that they somehow knew better than God or that God was either dead, had died or didn’t really care anymore.  Brothers and sisters this was the beginning of the end of our greatness.  We were great because we supported God, His teachings, and His way of life.  When we began to worship materialistic things- what happened to our power.  

Brothers and sisters all you have to do is reread these passages in Numbers 21: 4-9

The Bronze Serpent.

4 From Mount Hor they set out by way of the Red Sea, to bypass the land of Edom, but the people’s patience was worn out by the journey;

5 so the people complained against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!”

6 So the LORD sent among the people seraph serpents, which bite the people so that many of the Israelites died.

7 Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you. Pray to the LORD to take the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people,

8 and the LORD said to Moses: Make a seraph and mount it on a pole, and everyone who has been bitten will look at it and recover.

9 Accordingly Moses made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever the serpent bit someone, the person looked at the bronze serpent and recovered.

Are we not acting like the people in the passage?  Have we taken our collective eye off of the prize and now we are depressed, dejected, and bewildered?  Do not be dismayed.  God did not leave us, we left God.  Repent and turn your life to our national motto.  Put your faith in God, He will not let you down.  Governments come and go, the only constant is God.  Praise be to God Always. In the 1950s the United States was focused and had its eyes on God.  Today, we have awoken to a new generation.  A generation born in this century grew up not in President John Kennedy’s memorable inaugural address, “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country.”  Today’s generation has flipped that belief,” Ask what your country can do for you and not what you can do for your country.”  On Jan. 20, 1961, President Kennedy was the first Catholic President to be elected and sworn in as President of the United States.  Sixty years later, the second Catholic President was sworn in on Jan. 20, 2021  The only difference is one advocated public policies in line with the teachings of the Catholic Church and the other one did not.  

Isn’t it about time brothers and sisters that we take it upon ourselves to focus on our families and our Church?  We need to focus on the National Motto and put our trust in God, not in Government.  This in the end is our only sure-fire way to secure happiness in this world and the next.