9/11, This Week, And the Last 24 Years…

This time of year is always a little strange to me — as one who is American, has a living memory of 9/11, and has been part of and watched the world as it has changed in the shadow of those horrific events.

I always pause at this time of the year.

I also know that there will be many Christians in the Western world, horrified and saddened by yesterday’s events and the death of Charlie Kirk — not to mention the subway stabbing of Iryna Zarutska and the horrors that we keep seeing and hearing about in Gaza, Ukraine, Nepal, Sudan, alongside many, many others.

I cannot help but conclude that all of this is another jarring moment in the world’s evolution — and specifically, it is a moment to reflect on the actuality of the Western world against the pristine image we always try to present.

Realistically, we now live in a world where it is dangerous to think differently and to discuss such, whatever side of the political spectrum you reside on.

That in a place where freedom of speech and other such “freedoms” are paraded, one can be shot on a university campus is simply the gentrified evolution of religious partisanship and hatred of “the other” that takes place all over the world.

We live in a divided world, and it continues to move further and further apart.

This brings to mind, for me at least, the importance of believing in (and behaving like) the Christ of the Gospel — who in many moments would stand in the middle of two warring factions and ideals, and preach:

“Let those without sin be the first to cast a stone.” (John 8:7)

Jesus wasn’t a divider.

In fact, even within dogmatic discussions, He would make statements like:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person.” (Matthew 5:38–39)

Where the world identifies itself more and more by those things which differentiate us, Jesus calls on us who follow Him to stand in the middle and tightly try to draw together.

In short, the ethic of our faith should be a salve to the wounds of society — wounds that were lacerated, immeasurably and painfully, when the Twin Towers fell.

And so, into this world, and into this day:

Please know I am praying for you all — just that you will get through today, that you might know peace, and that God’s grace may be felt in your soul.

Or to put it another way (in line with WBC’s current sermon series):

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)