OnWednesday, 9/11, I received an email reflection from a dear priest about the tragedy that took place 23 years ago. It reminded me that some things are so serious they should never be forgotten. The sacrifice of the early Christian martyrs who went singing to their deaths, inspires all who suffer "for righteousness sake". The actions of tyrants challenges us to act differently, especially when we have power and authority over others. We need to remember that God is the ultimate authority, and those who receive it from Him condemn themselves when they misuse it. So many bloody atrocities stain the pages of history, especially the 20th century and these early years of the 21st. We forget them at our peril. Let us remember 9/11 with sorrow, but also with admiration and gratitude for those heroic souls whose glorious response merits our determination to never forget!
God of power and protection, at the beginning of this most important day, I am in pain. I saw with my own eyes the cruel and brutal and vicious attacks on my freedom and the American way of life twenty-three years ago today.
Oh, that day began so beautifully! It was sunny with a slight fall-like breeze. Huge puffy white clouds were spread out across a perfectly blue sky. And then, Lord, it happened. In an instant I lost sight of the beauty and my eyes were directed instead to the horror of one of the most brutal attacks by an enemy on American soil.
As I saw each plane crash viciously into the twin towers, then I heard about one crashing into our mighty military fortress, the Pentagon, and finally in a beautiful and peaceful field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania…All I could think of at first was: “How”? And then as the moments ticked on ever so slowly, deliberately, I felt bewildered, dismayed, enraged…then my questions turned into: “Who” “Why”???
Watching people,my brothers and sisters, jump in hopelessness from the burning towers CRUSHED my heart to the point that I could barely breathe.
My stomach felt painfully sick. As the hours ticked on, and more eyewitness accounts filled the news stations, my feelings evolved into anger, disillusionment and bitterness.
By the end of the day, I thought about my fellow Americans who had lived through the sneak attack, as they called it, on Pearl Harbor, and I wondered, “Had they felt what I was feeling?” The word “sneak” connotes dishonesty, meanness, malintent…what else could have motivated foreign Islamic fundamentalist terrorists to do what they did to each of us Americans? Oh, I must add to my list, Lord, HATRED IN THE DEPTHS OF THEIR HEARTS.
But then, Lord, 9/12 came, and with it…-the sun came up-heroic accounts of courageous rescues poured forth -the awareness of the courage behind the words of the doomed passengers on Flight 93…”Let’s roll!”-and the explosion of patriotic acts: flags raised, incredibly inspirational and powerful songs, people praying together, crying/sobbing together…Out of the ashes, Lord, YOU revealed to every American that WE ARE ONE NATION UNDER YOU, OUR GOD!
I pray that You help us heal, Lord. Bring comfort and peace to the children and families of the victims. Bring Your Justice upon those responsible for the atrocity, and hold close to Your loving heart all who died on that day, who died some time later and all military personnel who laid down their lives or experienced devastating injury by their bravery on the field of battle in Afghanistan.
May we re-learn and live Your great revelation on 9/12…that WE ARE ONE! As I grieve today, help me to use my time, my life to teach those who are confused about the greatness of America and Americans. May they come to know that no country on the face of planet Earth has always been so compassionate and the most generous to others, even our enemies. AMERICA IS GREAT. Help me to do my part to keep her that way! These things I humbly beg in Your Holy Name, Amen.
It’s really important to self-reflect at what makes you angry.
ReplyDeleteJesus was angry at the desecration of His Father’s House. Jesus was not recorded as angry for any other reason.
We, otoh, get angry for various violations of the practical order of things in this material world. And that shows that our heart is attached to this world, rather than the next.
The advice of Fr. Sobus: what you are angry at is a barometer of where your heart is. Saving souls and advancing the Kingdom of God is Christ’s sole passion. If that is not our sole passion then we are mid-aligned, to some extent, with our Lord.