Patriot Day, September 11, 2023

There are specific Feast Days or events here or there that I feel compelled to “Google”, read about, talk about, reflect on. Some of these reflections end up posted in In Fiamme. I think September 11 will always be one of those days for me. Twenty-two years have elapsed since 9/11/01. I know where I was at 8:46 am, wondering how a plane’s flight path could be so far off, and then at 9:03 am, watching with astonishment and horror, thinking to myself – New York is under attack.  

This is one of those historic dates when a nation stands up and says, “Never again.” It can be said that our school-aged children today are under attack, given some of the social norms that have emerged. But not since the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 had there been an attack on American soil like the attacks on the World Trade Center. Now our students can reflect on both of these modern-day attacks.

After the 15th anniversary of the tragic day, the Detroit Catholic https://www.detroitcatholic.com/news/never-ever-forgotten ran a human-interest story about a 27-year-old woman named Suzanne Kondratenko who was on a business trip to NYC and was in the South Tower of the World Trade Center when the first plane struck. You can read the story for yourself. I had the great privilege to teach this woman when she was in high school. The article very nicely summarizes Suzanne for the woman she had grown up to be. And it is true, her parents Patricia and Eric Kondratenko, go to the site every year, for the commemoration ceremony when the names of all the men, women, and children who were killed as a result of the 9/11 attacks. reading of the names of the fallen.

Out of this day twenty-two years ago came a reminder that we are a people of faith not fear. There are 31 Bible verses about “fear”, and through them, we are promised that God walks with the faithful at all times.  “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord, your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

On this day, flags throughout the nation are flown at half-mast. A moment of silence is observed six times to correspond to each attack that day – 8:46 am, when the first plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center, 9:03 am, 9:37 am, 9:59 am, 10:03 am, and 10:28 am, when the attacks on the South Tower and the Pentagon took place, as well as to commemorate crash of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania, and the time each tower fell.

‍

And we Pray:

God of justice and of peace,

On this day of solemn remembrance:
May we honor the lives that were lost in this tragic act.
May we give thanks for those who served and saved, rendered aid and assistance.
May we give comfort to those who live with loss.
May we seek justice and peace where it is within our ability,
and rely on you when the ability escapes us.

On this day of solemn remembrance:
May we build what has been torn down.
May we mend what has been broken.
May we live your love when hate seems to reign.
May we bear witness to the cause of peace.

Amen.

‍

‍