07/28/2026
Many people speak of making America great again. But before we can answer that challenge, there are two questions we must honestly ask ourselves:
First, what made America great in the first place?
Was it our wealth? Our military strength? Our influence around the world? Or was it the principles upon which this nation was founded—faith, justice, liberty, opportunity, compassion, and a belief that all people are created equal?
Second, how do we deal with the word "again"?
The word again assumes that there was a time when everything was right. Yet history teaches us that while America has accomplished many great things, we have also experienced great failures. We cannot embrace the victories of our past while ignoring the wounds that remain from our mistakes.
Too often, we become prideful about what we think was good, only to discover that some of those things were not good for everyone. There were times when people climbed higher by pushing others lower. There were times when justice was delayed, the poor were forgotten, and the vulnerable were overlooked.
A nation does not become great simply by returning to its past. A nation becomes great when it learns from its past.
America will never become great again by pretending our failures never happened. We become great when we have the courage to face them, acknowledge them, and learn from them.
We become great when we care for the poor.
We become great when justice is applied equally.
We become great when we value people above power.
We become great when we choose unity over division.
Most importantly, we become great when we repent of the things that have brought our nation down and commit ourselves to a better path.
The question is not whether America can be great again.
The question is: What must we change today to become the nation God is calling us to be tomorrow?
Greatness is not found in looking backward with pride. Greatness is found in looking forward with humility, wisdom, repentance, and hope.
Only then can America truly be great.
- Gregory McClary
Ambassador for Peace
