Join us on FacebookRemembering 9/11 after a decade
This year marks the tenth anniversary of one of the most horrific events in both U.S. and world history. The devastating outcomes of 9/11 profoundly affected everyone who watched, witnessed, or experienced them, and continue to impact the post 9/11 world.
On September 11, 2001, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial aircraft that resulted in crashes into both the north and south towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia (near Washington, D.C.), and an empty field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The tragic losses of nearly 3,000 innocent lives from these combined events have left inimitable voids within families, workplaces, churches, and society at large. Many public buildings now resemble fortresses. Air marshals ride planes. Police patrol subways. Billions of dollars are spent annually on security, including the ever tolling costs of two related wars and subsequent casualties. The 9/11 events, additionally, represent the largest loss of life from a hostile attack by a foreign entity on American soil, as well as the largest loss of emergency responders in a single event in U.S. history, with more than 400 casualties from New York and Pennsylvania police and fire departments.
While the voids in the New York City skyline and signs of destruction at the crash sites represent continual reminders of the catastrophic losses, the 9/11 events also inspired profound acts of compassion and courage that should be cherished and remembered. The extraordinary rescue and recovery operation that lasted for nine months was supported by thousands of civilian volunteers, not to mention the massive amounts of relief supplies and the liberal financial contributions that helped to establish a federal Victim Compensation Fund for victims’ families 1. The outpouring of such generosity corresponds with the principle Jesus taught when responding to a certain lawyer in Luke 10:30-37, who, when testing Him, said, “Master what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Encouraging the inquirer’s focus on the Ten Commandments, Jesus challenged him to provide the answer by responding to the questions "What is written in the law? how readest thou?" In other words, “What does the Bible say?” Getting right to the point, and fully embracing the principles on which the commandments are based, the lawyer responded, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.” Jesus commended his wisdom and said, “This do, and thou shalt live.” The lawyer’s query continued with a follow-up question: “And who is my neighbor?” (verse 29).
Jesus responded with the classic “good Samaritan” parable that clarified the neighborly relationships that must be established by those who profess to belong to God. The parable presented a stranger who was wounded and dying, yet passed over by those (a priest and Levite) who should have been first to extend compassion, mercy, and relief. Instead, a least-likely observer, with a kind, loving heart, bound up the injured man’s wounds and made provisions for his extended care. The Samaritan responder had no regard for race or any other differences. His only interest was the stranger’s critical need that he believed was within his sphere to meet. In a similar manner, countless numbers of good Samaritans extended the neighborly compassion Jesus referenced to the wounded and dying on September 11, 2001, even at the risk and unfortunate loss of their own lives. Every believer is charged with doing the same.
COMMEMORATION OF HOPE
Ten years later the aftereffects of September 11, 2001, remain inescapable and undiminished by time. Though painful, sometimes to the core, the losses, sacrifices, and horrors of the awful event deserve to be remembered. Phenomenal commemoration projects, such as the memorial list of 9/11 victims’ names published by CNN; 2 the Pentagon/Flight 77 memorial dedicated on September 11, 2008; the Flight 93 memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and a World Trade Center memorial in New York City—both scheduled to open in September 2011 all seek to acknowledge the bravery, courage, surreal unity, and genuine sorrow displayed on September 11, 2001.
Accordingly, it seems fitting to position the 9/11 disaster within the last chapters of this earth’s history as one of the Bible’s many signs of predicted perplexity upon the world: “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring” (Luke 21:25). Matthew 24 foretells that more of the same will be evident before God’s promise of a better day is fulfilled. But there is no need to despair, because Christ Himself gave the promise (Matthew 24:27; John 14:1-3; Revelation 1:7; 3:11; 16:15; 22:7, 12, 20, 21), and will assuredly make good on it. Simply, “gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:13). “For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry” (Hebrews 10:37).
REFERENCES
1 http://www.national911memorial.org/img/EDUCATION%20Packet%20-%206.pdf.
2 http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/memorial/lists/by-name/page3.html.
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