Remembering 9/11 - Sermon for week ending September 12, 2020

Our reading for this week is by Albert Camus.

In the midst of hate, I found there was within me, an invincible love.  In the midst of tears, I found there was within me, an invincible smile. In the midst of chaos, I found there was within me, an invincible calm. I realized through it all, that in the midst of winter, I found there was within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there is something stronger, something better, pushing right back.

Sermon

This week is the nineteenth anniversary of the September 11th attacks, and I know all of us can remember where we were and what we were doing that day. I had stayed home from work because I had 2 doctor’s appointments. A little before 9, Cathy, who was at work, called to tell me that an airplane had hit the North tower of the World Trade Center, and the news was calling it terrorism. I stayed glued to the TV all morning. I watched the towers fall, and heard about the attack on the Pentagon and the crash in Shanksville. Over the next few days, we learned that 343 firefighters, just doing their job, running into a burning building, were killed. Many stayed over after finishing their 24-hour shift, and went back out.  A total of 2,977 people were killed that day. I know that lots of folks were angry. I wasn’t. I was sad. And grateful to be able to hug my children. We put our flags up, to say that we might be down, but we were not out. We were still here. And nothing could crush our spirit. As the days went on, we began hearing more and more about the helpers, as Fred Rogers called them. He said that when he was little, when something bad happened, he would be afraid, and his mother told him to look for the helpers, which made him feel better. There were so many helpers. The group of strangers who joined together to take back Flight 93, preventing it from reaching its target and causing more death. Rick Riscorla, Morgan Stanley’s security director, who ignored the announcement to shelter in place in the South Tower and evacuated all but 13 of the 2,700 Morgan Stanley employees from the building. And Welles Crowder, known as the man in the red bandana, a 24-year- old equities trader who helped dozens get out, then went back in with firefighters to save more. His body was later found on one of the stairwells. When those seeking refuge ran south to the water, they were met by hundreds of boats, that had arrived despite the smoke-filled air and the real possibility that another attack might happen at any moment.  Over 9 hours, they evacuated over 500,000 people from lower Manhattan. Volunteer firefighters showed up to staff the fire stations and take care of all the other emergencies while the New York firefighters were at the World Trade Center. When the attacks forced all planes to land, the folks of Gander, Newfoundland, took in 6700 people, nearly doubling its population. They gave them food, water, and shelter. Pharmacists worked round the clock to make sure prescriptions were filled. Bus drivers in the middle of a strike went back to work. They treated the stranded passengers and crews as their own. At the changing of the guard ceremony at Buckingham palace, the queen broke with the tradition and ordered our National Anthem to be played, followed by 2 minutes of silence. People all around the world grieved with us. And in every major city in the US, folks stood in line for hours to give blood. Everywhere, there was a spirit of compassion, as we realized that we were all in this together. So many of our fellow humans had died. Their friends and their families were suffering such grief.  And we wanted to do something, anything to help. Humans are naturally good and loving and kind. That’s what our reading for today reflects. In the midst of hate, we have, within us, love. In the midst of darkness, we have within us light. The teachings of Jesus tell us that there is light in every darkness. And the darkness doesn’t overcome it. The light shines through the darkness. It did on that darkest of days. We saw the very best of humanity. A spirit of unity and a desire to make the world better in whatever way we could, to take care of one another.

To embrace the good. A group of children who were born on that day started a campaign to do good deeds on 911 anniversaries, “To keep alive the spirit of unity and compassion, to pay tribute to the victims and honor those who rose in service.” One of the children, now 19, said,
“Doing something good makes me realize that I have the power to change things and there is nothing stopping me.” The 911 attacks were the worst thing to ever happen to us, yet we pulled together. I long for that. I want it today, when our world is so divided. I believe that light shines through the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it. I believe that inside of all of us, we have love and goodness. So do an extra good deed this week. I promise to. And let’s remind ourselves that love always has the power to change the world.