Memory of September 11, 2001

Today commemorates the twelfth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States of America that occurred on the morning of September 11, 2001. I don’t believe anyone will ever forget what he or she was doing, or where he or she was on that horrendous morning.

It was a cloudless clear morning with a slight nip of fall in the air. I was driving back from Augusta, Georgia to Savannah, Georgia enjoying listening to the radio and taking in the breathtaking beauty of the day. As I rounded the Waynesboro bypass word came across the airways that a plane had struck one of the World Trade Center towers in New York City. At first it was thought that a small private plane had somehow crashed into the tower. As the coverage of the event began, suddenly another jet airliner propelled itself into the second tower. The reality of the situation quickly set in, we were under attack. While continuing driving down the country road and listening as the events unfolded life suddenly felt surreal. How could this be happening to this country? After all, America was the greatest and most powerful nation in the world. The thought of being attacked by a group of radicalized terrorists seemed impossible, yet the events told the reality of the situation. As I attempted to digest what was taking place in New York City, without warning the broadcast quickly cut over to Washington DC, a city I was quite familiar with and had many friends living in and around the District. A third jet airliner had struck the pentagon. Shock and dismay rolled through my system. I was worried for the safety of my dear friends and colleagues, while at the same time disgusted with what was taking place.

As I drove a little further down the blacktop country road passing serene cow pastures and farms, a forth plane was reported to have gone down in rural Pennsylvania. This was too much. My cell phone began to ring as my distraught parishioners expressed their fear and anger. I was at a loss for words. I couldn’t believe these acts of terrorism were actually taking place on American soil. I felt angry; I wanted to strike back at the unknown perpetrators and those behind the attacks. Until that bright morning I had never heard of Al-Qaida.  

Of course we are all familiar with the remaining events of that fretful day with the crumbling of the towers in New York, and the FAA immediately grounding all flights. Life in this country had changed in the blink of an eye. Lost was that sense of security and invulnerability. As the sad reality set in I intuitively turned to God for the answers. Why was this taking place? How could we bear the loss of so many lives? The one question: “Why? Why? Why?” continued to wreak havoc on my mind. I found myself staring up into the sky as if another jet was going to come barreling down to its earthly demise.

Many of us gathered in churches that afternoon and evening, holding services of remembrance, seeking some kind of answers to the day’s tragic events. Church bells tolled and people wandered about with large tears in their eyes. Many of us turned to the only place we knew to go – God.

In church some mumbled in anger under their breath at the day’s events. Others wept in sadness and distress. Still some folks just stared at the walls with blank expressions on their faces. The largest unspoken question on people’s minds was “Why God? How could you let this happen?” Pastorally it was a challenge to convince people that these events were not of God. God had not turned his back on this country nor was he punishing us. Still people shook their fists with the talk of revenge on their lips.

September 11, 2001 was a tragic event that took place. It changed our lives forever. But this was not God’s fault. On the contrary Christ was with us holding us together; providing us with underlying spiritual support that we could never muster on our own.

Christ was with those who were in the midst of the tragedies boosting their courage to perform heroic actions. Christ was with the departed welcoming them into his kingdom. God had not nor ever will abandon his people. God must have wept at such tragic and senseless loss of life. For through the sacrifice of his Son our Savior, Jesus Christ, God knows our pain and feels our suffering. Through Jesus, God understands the human condition and reaches out to his people in times of doubt, sorrow, trouble and despair.     

Today as we remember those who perished in the attacks of 911, remember this too, God was there. God was in the sorrow. God was in the pain and suffering. God was with those who grieved. God was with this nation. Out of the ashes of 911, God helped us rise again. God is still with us today as we remember those we lost.