America's Identity

Pope John Paul II believes that nations have unique gifts to offer their people and the world community in building a civilization of love.  At the close of the Compostelan Year, he said:  "Spain, be yourself.  Discover your origins! ... Seek in fidelity to your historic being the course for your future and the guarantee of your progress." 

What does it mean for the United States to be itself?  Does the United States have a unique vocation in the world?  What is it?  If so, what tensions, if any, exist between that vocation and our power?  What does it mean to discover our origins?  To seek in fidelity to the United State's historic being the course for our future and the guarantee of our progress?

Any thoughts?

Michael S.