Remembering 9-11

 With the 18^th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks tomorrow, we are being urged repeatedly to remember and never forget. As I have reflected on these prompts, a couple of observations have emerged in my meditations.

First is the awareness of the effects of the normal passing of time. Those who have not yet graduated from high school were not even born at the time. Those who are now in college were preschoolers at the time. Those who are now in their mid-thirties were children and teens at the time. They probably remember the emotional trauma and the vivid images without fully grasping what had happened. This emerging generation has little or no personal, first-hand memory of those events, only what they have been told or read. For all of these the events of September 11, 2001 will be remembered as they blend into the abstracted distance of history. That is normal, and they should not be belittled because of it. This is evident as the Vietnam War generation is passing from the scene and as the World War II generation has almost completely done now. Maintaining a vivid memorial of people and events a century or more ago naturally blur together.

Second, I suggest that as we remember the attacks of September 11, 2001, we remember with love those who lost their lives. Let us remember with respect those who rallied to aid in the crisis, especially but not only those who risked and even lost their own lives to rush into danger to rescue at least some.

Third, I strongly urge that we not allow our remembering to degenerate into or nourish fear and anger. We only hurt ourselves by wallowing in vengeance. I believe Jesus was absolutely right (which the Apostle Paul affirmed) when he told us to love our enemies. (Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 6:27-35; Romans 12:17-21) Jesus’ explanations not only gave this mandate an extraordinarily high profile, but he made it congruent with the character of God. If we are going to grow toward becoming like God, we must love our enemies.