I have always have been struck by the YMCA’s foundational idea – healthy mind, healthy body, healthy spirit.  These three foci were meant to be integrated to provide the underpinning of a potent and moral life.  Mind, body and spirit were understood by a century of Christians, as well as the broader American society, as essential elements of a whole and holistic person.

Barack Obama has presented his budget for congressional approval. In it he has offered us a new trinity of core strengths which mirrors the YMCA ideal: Education, Health Care, and Energy.   Not to put too fine of a point on it – Mind=Education; Health=Healthcare; and Energy=Spirit (ok, this last one is not perfect, but energy, like spirit, is the power that keeps the body and mind animate and alive). 

Christians a century ago identified mind, body, and spirit as the key for all other efforts in living a Christian life and now our President is putting them forward as the way to prepare America for the next century. A healthy education system produces talented young people who will have the technical ability and historical awareness to lead in both domestic and international issues.  Health care reform makes our people strong with preventive efforts, and makes Americans financially secure and avoid bankruptcy because of sickness.  Green energy liberates us from foreign sources of oil as well as keeping our earth safe.  I applaud our president for choosing these three areas from which all of our other national priorities emanate.  Each one of these areas provides for an invigorated and refocused work force and job creation. 

For the last decade we have had two national priorities – military (including mercenaries such as Blackwater) and Wall Street.  While a strong defense and a solvent financial system are crucial for our nation – war and money are not values upon which we should rebuild our country.  Let’s go back to the YMCA and produce an American nation with healthy, mind, bodies and spirits.