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I shared these words this morning at the Memorial in Amherst as we remember 9/11 and those that were lost. Today, may you too be first responders of love and grace.
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How did we get here today?
How did we get here (Amherst’s 9/11 Memorial) today? We came here specifically today to honor those that lost their lives in and around the towers 24 years ago, but how do we get HERE (this time and place in culture) today?
We got here today because on that day in NY, PA and DC, hate reared its head and took the lives of thousands of innocent people. But how did we get HERE today?
Here. Today, 24 years later when hate is continuing to rear its head on a college campus in Utah and school in Colorado, how did we get here today?
When intolerance is the norm, how do we get here today?
When trust of our sisters and brothers is only solidified by a party or an ideology, how did we get here today?
Where social media is a platform that more often divides us rather than unites us, how to get here today?
When we promised 24 years ago, we’ll always remember and never forget. And yet time and time again we have forgotten to love, forgotten to listen, forgotten to show compassion, forgotten to see what 24 years ago and 24 hours ago all have in common….maybe that’s how we got here today.
But let me remind you how we may just be able to move forward from here.
Minutes after hate struck 24 years ago, loves struck back! Hundreds the first responders ran towards the remnants of the hatred and overwhelmed it with love. In NY, 343 of them, making it the final act of this world.
How do we move forward today? Just. Like. They. Did.
Yesterday afternoon in Amherst, dozens of first responders and firematic personnel ran towards another fire to ensure the safety of the residents and minimize the loss of property. Talking with the neighbor of the adjoining house, he said to me after the Main-Transit fire chief came over and told them that his house was spared and he was able to go back in, tears flowed down his face and he said: You guys are amazing thank you so much. I love you. You’re the best. (Spoken to the responders at the event). He was right. You’re the best!
We can remember, never forget and honor those who died that day, and in the years that followed due to illness, by running towards the hate we see with love. And by overwhelming it!
To quote the profit Josh Allen, “Have a little faith next time” and that’s what we need to do. We can have a little faith that our love in the world is needed now more than ever. We can have a little faith that we can channel the country we became on September 12, 2001 and replicate that unity again. We can listen a little longer, show a little bit more compassion, not judge people because of their skin tone or a country of origin, and share our gifts and talents as first responders of grace and love. My prayer for you today is that you will remember and never forget 24 years ago. But that you will allow those memories to guide and shape who each of us can be in the next 24 hours.
Have a little faith, the game is not over. There still is more time. With the memory of those we lost 24 years ago, don’t give up yet.
I share with you, the words of Father Mychal Judge, FDNY Chaplain, who died along with my cousin on that day when the south tower came down. He would say these words as he blessed his responders for their work ahead: Lord, take us where you need us to go. See the people you need us to see. Say the things we need to say and keep us out of your way, Amen
Still in One Peace,
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