Dear Parishioners:
President George W. Bush consoles a New York City Firefighter in the aftermath of the September 11th Attack.
This weekend we mark the 20th Anniversary of the September 11th attack upon our nation. We remember the tremendous evil that befell our country and profoundly affected so many people. As we remember the dead, let us also pray for those who continue to experience their loss and who yearn for the peace of Jesus Christ.
When we look back to September 11th, 2001, and bring back the overwhelming feelings of abandonment that day and the days soon after, we may very well wonder: "Where was God?" God is not arbitrary. God is not a puppeteer pulling on the strings of life and arbitrarily altering the fates of our loved ones. No, God is love, and we live in a world at times estranged from God through the power of evil and the possibility of sin.
Where was God on September 11th, 2001? He was weeping with us. Just as Jesus suffered the anguish of Calvary and death on the Cross, Jesus was in suffering and pain on September 11th. He was not outside this world managing events and deciding people's fates. Quite simply, on September 11th, Jesus was with us, and He continues to be with us today.
A New York City Firefighter following rescue attempt.
We recall the heroism and honor of firefighters, police officers, and rescue workers. When people ran out of harm's way, they ran towards the crisis, risking their own lives to help others. Their unyielding hope in looking for survivors amid tons of dusty rubble and steel showed their true character. The generous outpouring of their service is a sign of light in the darkness. People came together on that day. In fact, we remember where we were on September 11, 2001, because we were all together.
It is often said that there are no atheists in foxholes. In the days following the attacks of twenty years ago, people went to churches to pray. I remember well that on the Sunday after the attacks, Masses overflowed with people. They were yearning for hope and meaning, peace and consolation. They were looking for a sense of comfort and a word of hope as they prayed for the fallen and the grieving.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus raises His friend, Lazarus, from the dead. When Jesus arrives in Bethany and finds His friend dead, the Gospel tells us: "And Jesus wept." These three words are a profound sermon on the 20th Anniversary of the September 11th attack, for Jesus wept too on that day.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI wrote this prayer for his visit to the September 11th Memorial in New York:
"O God of love, compassion, and healing, look on us, people of many different faiths and traditions, who gather today at this site, the scene of incredible violence and pain. We ask you in your goodness to give eternal light and peace to all who died here— the heroic first-responders: our fire fighters, police officers, and emergency workers, along with all the innocent men and women who were victims of this tragedy simply because their work or service brought them here on September 11th, 2001. We ask you, in your compassion to bring healing to those who, because of their presence here that day, suffer from injuries and illness. Heal, too, the pain of still-grieving families and all who lost loved ones in this tragedy. Give them strength to continue their lives with courage and hope.
The September 11th Memorial, New York
We are mindful as well of those who suffered death, injury, and loss on the same day at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Our hearts are one with theirs as our prayer embraces their pain and suffering. God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world: peace in the hearts of all men and women and peace among the nations of the earth. Turn to your way of love those whose hearts and minds are consumed with hatred. God of understanding, overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy, we seek your light and guidance as we confront such terrible events.
Grant that those whose lives were spared may live so that the lives lost here may not have been lost in vain. Comfort and console us, strengthen us in hope, and give us the wisdom and courage to work tirelessly for a world where true peace and love reign among nations and in the hearts of all. Amen"
Let us remember this solemn and somber anniversary of September 11th. Let us pray for the fallen, the grieving, and for peace. Be well. Stay safe. Do good. God Bless. God Bless and Protect America!
