Remembering 9-11 in a Time of Violence

 Today is the twenty-fourth anniversary of the tragic events of September 11, 2001.  This day of remembrance follows a day after a political activist, Charlie Kirk, was shot and killed in Utah, along with another school shooting in Colorado (the same county as the Columbine massacre 26 years ago). We live at a time of increasingly divisive and even violent rhetoric, which often leads to violent acts. This is a time, whether remembering the events of yesterday or twenty-four years ago, as well as all the other acts of violence that wrack our world, for prayers of lament.

With all that is happening, it is appropriate to pause for a moment and remember those who have been the victims of violence, including those who died twenty-four years ago, along with their families.  It is appropriate that we remember and honor those who risked their lives to rescue those caught in the two buildings in New York and at the Pentagon.  We should also remember how all our lives have been impacted by the actions of a few terrorists. This includes two wars that did nothing to make our world safer.   

Twenty-four years ago, I was the pastor of First Christian Church of Santa Barbara, CA.  I was also President of the Greater Santa Barbara Clergy Association. In that moment, I was called upon to help provide spiritual leadership not only to the congregation but to the community. The following Sunday, our organization offered a powerful community service over which I presided. Our service featured homiletic presentations by an Imam, a Rabbi, and a Christian Minister. Each message was powerful, both in words and imagery.  I also wrote a piece for the Santa Barbara News Press. I have shared this article in previous years, but perhaps it is worth sharing once again as we remember the events of that day and the events of our own time.  sharing again.

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    Tuesday's tragic events have shaken the foundations of our lives. We feel pangs of grief and anger. For those in our community who had co-workers, friends, or relatives on the planes or in the stricken buildings, this is especially true. As a nation, and as a community, we cry out to God, asking Why has this happened? The answer to that question is a complex one, a question that requires considerable thought and prayer to answer.

    The words of the Psalmist state well our feelings at this time:

"My heart is in anguish within me, the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me. And I say, `O that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest; truly, I would flee far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; I would hurry to find a shelter for myself from the raging wind and tempest."  (Psalm 54:4-8)

 We feel unsafe and insecure. We feel angry and aggrieved. Like the psalmist, we find ourselves overwhelmed by many different feelings, including guilt, and we find it difficult to sort them out. We want to flee from the cause of our terror, and so we seek to hide in our homes, afraid to venture out and risk our lives; and yet we also hear from our own lips, calls for revenge and retaliation. Some of us have already begun to point fingers and seek out scapegoats, blaming the entire Islamic community for the deeds of some militants, who do not act in accord with their own teachings, and this is both unfortunate and unwarranted. As our government sorts out the details, it is important that we as American people support and console each other, and not let a thirst for revenge taint our sorrow.

Although the religious community does not speak with one voice, as our theologies and values often differ, we are joined in a common concern for the loss of life and a collective loss of security and safety that is the aftermath of Tuesday morning. We find our vulnerability unsettling, and consequently, we have been and will continue to come together in our various houses of worship to pray for the victims and their families. From our pulpits and in our study groups, we will consider the causes and the solutions. Therefore, we must come together and support each other, whether Christian or Jew, Muslim or Buddhist, Hindu or Humanist; at a time like this, our differences matter less. It is for this reason that the Greater Santa Barbara Clergy Association, an interfaith organization of area clergy, whose members cross the spectrum of the community's religious groups, is offering this Sunday evening, at 6:00 p.m., a Service of Remembrance and Prayer, that will allow the community as a whole to pray and reflect, grieve and find comfort. The service will be held at First United Methodist Church (Anapamu at Garden).

In our prayers we reach out to those who have lost loved ones and we release their memories into God's care. We also pray for peace in our world, for it is the lack of peace that gives rise to such events. What we experienced writ large Tuesday morning, happens daily around the world. Our grief must also include a search for reconciliation and the proclamation of peace among all peoples of the world.

The Rev. Robert Cornwall
Pastor, First Christian Church
President, Greater Santa Barbara Clergy Association