As Canada Day approaches, we have the perfect moment to reflect on the deeper meaning of loving our country. The New Church views true love for one’s country as much more than outward celebrations or blind allegiance. Real patriotism, from this perspective, is fundamentally spiritual: it involves loving our neighbour, setting aside selfishness, and infusing everyday civic life with a higher, spiritual purpose.

Loving Country as a Neighbour

According to New Church thought, our country is a special kind of neighbour, one of the highest forms. Like a parent who provides for and nurtures a child, our country shelters us, creates order, and offers a sense of belonging. Loving your country truly means working for its well-being, contributing to its advancement, and acting for both its natural and spiritual health. From this higher perspective, patriotism is a living form of the Lord’s command to “love your neighbour as yourself.” When we serve our country out of genuine goodwill and a desire for the common good, we sow the seeds for spiritual growth and prepare ourselves to become citizens of the Lord’s eternal kingdom.

Civil Law as a Foundation for Spiritual Growth

Respect for civil authorities and obedience to the laws are essential teachings in the New Church. Civil laws establish social order and promote peace, creating the conditions for a harmonious community. Suppose we cannot discipline ourselves enough to comply with just civil laws, which are visible and have clear consequences in this world. In that case, we will struggle even more to follow the Lord’s spiritual laws, which go to the inner motivations and intentions of the heart. Civil laws are the framework, but it’s the spiritual intent that gives them life and meaning. Only when we obey civil laws out of a desire to do what is good and to serve others, rather than to avoid punishment or gain personal advantage, does our participation in society take on genuine spiritual value.

Moving Beyond Selfishness

At the heart of true patriotism is the necessity to set aside selfishness. Serving one’s country for self-serving reasons, out of a desire for power or advantage, runs counter to authentic patriotic love. True patriotism asks not “What can my country do for me?” but “What can I offer for the good of my country?” Subordinating personal interests for the welfare of all is the hallmark of loving one’s country in a truly spiritual way. This means resisting the temptation to enrich oneself at society’s expense and instead contributing in ways that foster genuine public good.

Patriotism as Service and Use

The New Church understanding emphasises “usefulness”, the idea that love is realised in service. Loving your country means working for the public good, supporting wise and ethical leadership, and playing your part to ensure justice and harmony in society. True patriotism also involves the courage to stand against harmful practices or injustices, no matter the personal cost, when these undermine the welfare of the whole.

Citizenship in Heaven Begins Here

By aligning our civil actions with spiritual motives—acting from neighbourly love, charity, and a commitment to the common good—we prepare ourselves for citizenship in the Lord’s eternal kingdom. In this way, patriotism is not just a duty for this world, but training for heavenly life.

As we honour and celebrate all that Canada has given us, let us do so from the heart, filling our participation and service with the spiritual work of resisting selfish benefit. In loving our country sincerely, seeking its genuine welfare, and dedicating ourselves to its good, we fulfil both our earthly calling and our journey toward heaven.