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From the Pastor's Desk: September 11, 2022
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From the Pastor’s Desk: September 11, 2022
On Sunday, in our nation, we will observe Patriot Day! This day invites us to remember the anniversary of the catastrophic terrorist attacks against the United States on the 11th of September 2001. Patriot Day is recognized by US law as the official day of remembrance for these tragic events and has been observed every year since. Each year on this day, American flags are flown at half-staff to honor and commemorate those lives lost. The US President asks fellow Americans to observe a moment of silence at 8:46am (Eastern Daylight Time), the time of the first plane collision into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
Nineteen terrorists, killers with cold hearts in four different aircrafts, in less than one hour destabilized the American way of life. The Dome of America – World Trade Center Towers – collapsed, headquarters of our Nation’s security – The Pentagon – was under attack, innocent passengers of Flight Number 93 chose to die on the field in Pennsylvania on such a sunny and horrifying morning in the name of the highest value – saving lives of other people.
Although the shock and pain since September 11, 2001, has slowly faded, for many Americans life no longer will be the same. It is true that our spirit tends to look forward rather than back and people move on with their lives, yet there is still a great need to bring peace and to heal the wounds of that morning - wounds of anger, lack of peace, and forgiveness. Indeed, can we forgive the perpetrators of 9/11 for their heinous acts? Apart from the enormity of the wrongdoing, it is even harder to think about forgiveness knowing that the 19 men who carried out the attacks all died in the process, without a chance to repent, apologize and seek forgiveness. Today, however, twenty-one years later, to all of us who struggle to seek peace and forgiveness, in any way –we are invited to reflect upon the message of forgiveness in the parable of the “Prodigal Son”.
This is one of the greatest stories ever told. The genius of this parable is because we can very much make it our own. Let’s face it– we can be angry with the terrorists and perhaps other difficulties in life, and part of us has rejected God, run away from Him, wasted our life in selfish pursuits of some form of happiness and fulfillment. Giving in to sin that leads to so many other forms of destruction in life and with natural longing that we have for God in our hearts, we hope to “come to our senses” just to realize that sin does not work, that it does not lead to happiness, and that we need to turn back to God. The prodigal son does not know if his Father is going to welcome him, but he turns back anyway because it is the logical, right thing to do, and that is what we must do, to turn back to God, even if we do not know the outcome, but just because it is the natural, logical and right thing to do. Because this is the fulfillment of the meaning of life - that God forgives us and we are loved in the deepest of our being, even if we consider ourselves not lovable. We are accepted not because of what we have or what we are. We are accepted when we stand empty-handed and feel we are not worth much. We cannot earn God’s love and forgiveness - it comes as His promise to us. As St. Augustine puts it: "God loves each one of us as if there were only one of us to love." Today, He begs us not only to embrace His gift of love and forgiveness but to spring those promised gifts on others, as God alone can make us capable of doing so.
“Why are you disappointed? Because of the tremendous disproportion between your desires and your realizations. Your soul has certain infinity about it because it is spiritual. But your body, like the world around, is material, limited, “cabined, cribbed, confined.” The Wisdom of Fulton Sheen.
This week is also the NFL opening season week. I will continue my ministry as the catholic chaplain of the Jacksonville Jaguars team. Please join me in prayerful support for a successful season. Go Jags!
Have a blessed week!
With prayers,
Fr. Andy
