Remembering 9/11: Recommit to peace and justice
As a fellow US citizen as a Catholic bishop on the Eastern side of South Dakota as we remember September 11th of 2001, many of us remember it was a great tragedy indeed. Nearly 3,000 people died that day from terrorist attacks. We think of all those families and all those souls that were lost and all those who since that time have made so many sacrifices in America and Beyond to try to protect the innocent, to try to protect life. We think of the nearly 2,300 people who died in Afghanistan, those military personnel who made sacrifices let alone all those who were affected in other ways. As we remember this sobering reality may be also be filled with a recommitment to really as we remember from our pledge of allegiance, to be one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. How important for us to remember not only those who’ve gone before us and everybody was made so many sacrifices and all the impact of all of this, may we also step into it with our great confidence in God to pray fervently. We can offer sacrifices for all of those who’ve been so deeply impacted, and we ourselves get to help promote peace and True Justice which comes from God Alone. When I think of all of this I remember the passage from Matthew’s gospel chapter 22 where it speaks about how when Jesus is asked the question what is the greatest of all the Commandments. He describes it so beautifully, you shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your mind. The second is like it you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Let’s pray this day and forever greater fervency to really be one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all, by loving God with all of our heart asking for His help. Praying for all of those who have endured such hardship, and love others as God loves us.