Today is the tenth anniversary of the terrorists attack in New York and Washington, and of the first resistance to the forces of evil resulting in the death of the passengers and crew of Flight 93 on a field in Pennsylvania. This September 11th is unlike any other I’ve observed because I am here, in Afghanistan, as a direct consequence of those attacks. I’ve been here for most of the year and will be until early the next one, contributing in my own small way to bring a bit of light to a land in darkness, and a bit of hope and help to a people who have lived in war and upheaval for too long. I am also here to help draw a line on the sand: evil was defeated here, is being defeated here, and will not pass from here.There will be many orators, analysts, and intelligent people dissecting the memories and pondering what did we learn as a nation, if anything, from the mayhem we suffered and the fury we unleashed in return during the last 10 years. I can only speak of what I myself have learned and that’s my purpose on this post, to share with you a little bit of what I’ve learned myself. I can’t presume to talk for anyone else.
· I’ve learned that I am not a hero. Sure, many well-intentioned souls will be inclined to call me one, but really, I’m not. That title goes first to the first emergency responders of the 9/11 attacks, and to the crew and passengers of Flight 93 and with them, all those who lost life or limbs in Afghanistan and Iraq in defense of our freedom, regardless of the decisions that took them there, along with their families. They are the real heroes, not I. My risks and sufferings will never compare to theirs.
· My beloved wife of the last 26 years will heartily disagree, but no matter. I’ve learned she’s a true hero, carrying on at home, worried sick about me, and keeping an eye on our family and home so that I can find everything intact upon my return. She represents all those wives and husbands awaiting their loved ones from war, hoping, praying, and suffering the distance from us and the uncertainty of our healthy return in mind, body, and spirit. They are the true heroes on my book, more so than I.
· I’ve learned that that the individual and collective effects of capital sin cannot be fixed through political, diplomatic, or military means. The righteous use of military power can hold off the greatest, most blatant evil; but the demonic cauldron of untrammeled hatreds and spiraling violence can only be cooled through repentance, conversion, penance, and the love of God in and through one another. Nothing else can stop this evil nothing else can heal these wounds but God in Jesus – pace Jews, Muslims, and unbelievers. This much has been revealed to me, that the visible warfare is but the tip of the iceberg of a deeper, greater warfare unseen, where the souls of every individual and the collective soul of humanity are at play.
· I’ve learned that the best I can do in this life, with my limited gifts and talents, is to love, to love as God loves, to live the Gospel of His Son to the utmost in my state of life. Only then would I have made a real difference in the world for my children, and my children’s children – three of whom the Lord has granted me the privilege to meet and love already. Love, and do as I wish, as St. Augustine taught echoing the Master.I must finish my grammar of post 9-11 lessons on a warning, somewhat depressing note. I don’t think that we as Americans have responded with the necessary degree of conversion and repentance to these great events. Many of us have, but our cultural, media, and political elites have not or have done so most imperfectly. I think our human and cultural environment has decayed in the last 10 years and I will leave it at that for now because you all know my pet peeves.
I once held to American exceptionalism because, despite our naïveté and our obvious mistakes in foreign and domestic policies, we meant well as a Nation, and we meant well as a Nation because we had, as a whole, a very strong Judaeo-Christian heart. (And I am not excluding people of good will of other religions of none at all from this “heart”. Sorry if that offends you by exclusion or inclusion, but there it is).
Now it appears that our multiple choices against life, human life I mean, have cascaded throughout our entire culture, polluting the way we govern ourselves, as well as our foreign policies. Though the events of 9-11 tested our resilience in many different ways and made us stronger, I believe the benefit didn’t go deep enough to reverse our moral decadence.
Without wishing to alarm or move anyone to anxiety, I fear that having chosen as a Nation the Culture of Death over that of Life, and of perfidy over faithfulness, we’re about to lose, or maybe even lost already, the grace of the Almighty and his protection – all in the name of “tolerance” and non-existent “rights”. You know of what I am talking about.
You can see the consequences throughout the whole spectrum of our national existence: in our society, in our culture, in our disdain for human life and the family, in our technological failures, pollution and in the increasing frequency of natural disasters and our decreasing ability to deal with them. You see the results in our faltering economy and in our reluctance to do the necessary sacrifices to fix it. We’re in danger of becoming a lumbering Goliath ready to be brought down by some little David’s stone and I assure you that the consequences of our fall will be nefarious to the entire world, for the American Experiment was the last hope of mankind.
Therefore, let us pray with our whole hearts for our country:
Almighty God, you have given us this good land for our heritage. We humbly ask you that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of your favor and glad to do your will. Bless our land with honorable endeavor, sound learning and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties and fashion into one united people the multitude brought here out of many nations and tongues. Endow with the Spirit of wisdom those to whom in your name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace and home, and that through obedience to your law we may show forth your praise among the nations on earth. In time of prosperity fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble do not allow our trust in you to fail.
O Lord, I humbly pray that You direct the leaders of this great nation now in this time of crisis. Grant them wisdom and understanding, and help them to respond quickly and effectively to this situation. Direct them that they may do what is right in Your sight. May they follow Your Divine Will to lead our nation on the paths of peace and safety.
Unite all response agencies in an organized and harmonious fashion to bring quick and effective resolve to the demands of this crisis. Empower us as United States citizens to do our own part, financially, physically, emotionally, and spiritually to support all who have been affected by the 9/11 tragedy. O Lord, I pray that You encourage and strengthen our nation. Surround us with Your Love and Mercy! Bring peace and comfort to all those who are suffering as a result of this crisis.
God, Our Father, Giver of Life, we entrust our Nation to your loving care. You are the rock on which this nation was founded.
You alone are the true source of our cherished rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Reclaim this land for your glory and dwell among your people.
Send your spirit to touch the hearts of our nations’ leaders. Open their minds to the great worth of human life and the responsibilities that accompany human freedom. Remind your people that true happiness is rooted in seeking and doing your will.
Through the intercession of Mary Immaculate, patroness of our Land, Grant Us the Courage to reject the “Culture of Death”. Lead us into a new millennium of life.
We ask all this, Father, in the sweet Name of your Son Jesus, Our Lord, in the Communion of the Holy Spirit, Amen.