Trinity Episcopal Church

September 11, 20011

My birthday is Tuesday. Two things about my turning forty this week: birthdays are not always easy and turning forty has nothing to do with my real age. This week is also the 10 year anniversary of the day we saw the images of the smoking, burning buildings in NYC and the panic and fear of a nation caught by surprise on 9/11. It’s one of those dates that previous generations suffered, like December 7, 1941 or November 22, 1963 where you remember what happened and the loss and the sadness and you remember what you were doing when you first heard about it. And you realize that events like these make the world we live in a little darker of a place. In the dark we can become afraid, we can become fearful, we can become confused---which is the point of terrorism.

This day, when we will see the images on our TV screens (again & again no doubt) and hear a bazillion words from “expert commentators” on how it has and will impact our lives. Let’s not forget to be hopeful. Because I refuse to let the actions of a few extremists determine how I will live.

We should not ignore 9/11, nor should we become paralyzed by it: we should remember and seek God’s light for all and not cower in the darkness brought on by a few. We need to plan better and be wiser and live fuller. We need to drop all of our petty differences with people of other nations and start affirming the one true God in their lives too. The “my god is bigger than your god” ideology just isn’t working.

Yes, there will still be idiot extremists out there that threaten our freedom. But if we could start working together as one people under God (no matter what you call God), the world will be stronger. Proving the right God isn’t the point; working together is.

So, here, in our experience, let’s look to another dark day 2000 plus years ago when a young man was crucified and the sky above the world turned black. Out of that Good Friday came Easter Morning. That’s what God does, if we let Him, personally, nationally, and globally--- God turns the darkness into light.

Fr. Rick