This week we celebrate Religious Freedom Week: Embracing the Divine Gift of Freedom. Religious freedom allows communities to live out their faith in public and to serve the good of all. Unfortunately, these freedoms, enshrined in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, have increasingly come under attack. We have witnessed violence against individuals and houses of worship, defacement of property and buildings, mockery and condescending comments on social media. Now, more than ever, we must stand strong and be unafraid to bring our faith into the public arena. But we must do so respectful of others, with compassion and courage, and with prayers that religious freedom will be safeguarded in our country and throughout the world.