Don't forget to remember...

I will always remember that cool, crisp Tuesday morning, low humidity, clear blues skies with puffy white cotton balls.  I was relishing in the fact that autumn, my favorite season was fastly approaching.  It was also the day of my first test of the year for my students.  I had first period planning and around 8:50 my colleague Tina Bartlett, frantically asked me if I had heard what happened at the World Trade Center.  She continued to tell me that a plane flew into one of the towers and I laughed out loud and told her to stop playing.  I only wish that she were joking.  We quickly ran over to Ava Closs's classroom to watch the coverage.  For the next thirty-five minutes, we watched with horror as the second plane flew into the other tower.  Later during the course of the day, we would learn of an incident at the Pentagon, a plane crash in Pennsylvania, and the indelible shock that plagued our hearts and minds.

Beloved, here we stand ten years later, still broken, maybe even more confused that we were before these acts of terror plagued our nation.  Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives, many of which were doing what I was doing that same day, simply going to work.  But God, who is rich in mercy and compassion, whose love fails not, thought it not robbery to perserve and sustain us for such a time as this.  I cannot imagine the loss that the survivors of the 911 victims have experienced and continue to endure. 

However, in this time of reflection of tragedy, let's remember that there is triumph.  There were people in the Twin Towers who escaped and may be plagued with guilt as to why they were spared.  In God there is no failure, and yet bad things happen to good people.  In just a few moments, President Obama will address the survivors and those gathered at Ground Zero.  He will lead them with a recitation of Psalm 46.  The opening line of Psalm 46 is "God is our strong refuge; he is truly our helper in times of trouble."  Let us not lose sight that even as we reflect upon this tragic time in our nation's history, that God has turned our mourning into dancing and prasise.  Gospel singer Donald Lawrence, recorded a song a few years back "Don't forget to remember."  As we reflect on this tragedy, let us not lose sight of the triumph that we have in Christ as he has given us beauty for ashes.

Peace,
Karsten