9/11 Must Lead to Love & Forgiveness

It has become an iconic question when remembering back to iconic events in our history, "Where were you?" For people in my grandparents generation, they may remember where they were on the day of Pearl Harbor or D Day. Many remember where they were when they heard about Dallas or when Dr King was gunned down. The same question is quite often asked for what we remember today, 9/11. It is amazing how the human mind sears these images and memories like no others. I remember being in sophomore health class in high school when it was announced on the PA system and the rest of the events of that day are as clear as if they were yesterday.

Looking back on these memories, we can also recall our emotions that swam through us allowing us to experience feelings we may have never endured. One feeling that comes to my mind is anger. Anger that a select few thought it was okay to take the life of over 3000 mom and dads, brothers and sisters, fiances, best friends, role models, family members and loved ones from our midst. Anger that countless people go through their lives everyday now with loss and pain due to a senseless act of violence. Anger that people just can't seem to get along and coexist in this world!

This is exactly where the gospel slips in. Jesus tells us to forgive, forgive and forgive till you breathe your last. It is simple to lash back and hate those terrorists and all those who cause us harm in our own personal lives - 'to forgive them is something they need to earn and beg for!'- Jesus says that this is exactly what we can NOT do.

No one deserves forgiveness and no one should work to earn it, it needs to be a free gift because forgiveness is Love. We cannot love freely if we do not forgive freely. We cannot love if we do not forgive.

Love is the way of the Christian. Love is the way of the baptized. Love is the way to peace.

Yes, there are wars going on right now because of these events, but this cannot be an excuse for us to hate. Our military defends our country from aggression, they do not act in our stead to execute aggression, revenge and hatred. As they are defending us, we need to support them by giving them a country that is worth defending. We need to love because love is what conquers the ideologies that incite violence that leads to wars.

We need to be people of love and forgiveness because if we are, then evil cannot exist. The devil preys on our grudges, our hatred, our anger and aggression - defeat the devil by getting rid of all that which you harbor!

We need to grieve and mourn those who died in unimaginable horror and in unthinkable ways; this was truly a catastrophic tragedy and act of genocide. BUT, this needs to lead to forgiving those who harmed us. We do not understand them and their actions. We can only know the Heart of Jesus who loves and forgives everyone for their sins.

We need to imitate that love and not allow ourselves to hate.