Today is a solemn day of remembrance of the day that’s become known as 9/11. A day when America, seemingly secure in the fact that no foreign enemy had attacked us on American soil since the War of 1812, when the White House was partially burned by the British. But as much of America was waking that September morning, a commercial jetliner slammed into World Trade Center in the heart of New York City, followed by another a few moments later. Soon both towers would crumble. Thousands were killed in the inferno, many more later from injuries sustained there. Another jetliner would crash into the Pentagon, the center of American military might. A fourth plane, scheduled for San Francisco, did a U turn in the Cleveland sky, and headed for the Capitol building in Washington, the center of American democracy, where both houses were in session. Thankfully, a little more than twenty minutes before its arrival, Todd Beamer rallied passengers of that plane with the words, “Let’s Roll”, overtaking the hijackers and crashing the plane into a field in Pennsylvania, averting the far more tragic occurrence. It was a day that left the nation in total shock. A day most people would remember where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news.
But it was also a day when thoughts of God seemed to be in the minds of people more than any other time in American history. Some prayed fervently for mercy for the victims, the country, and for themselves, terrorized by what was happening. Many fearing God’s judgement had come, did serious soul searching and made promises to God. But when the smoke cleared, as the day ended and tears began to subside, there were many who blamed God. Many who cried out, “Why, did You let this happen, God” and even “Where were You, God?” Perhaps understandable reactions to a supposed God of love and mercy, even though based on false understandings of God. That God had caused the catastrophe, and didn’t care about the suffering.
We must first understand that God didn’t drive any of those planes. Men filled with hate and vengeance piloted them, failing to comply with what even their false god of Islam teaches. ‘Radicalized Islamists’ is another way of saying Satan can twist any philosophy to his own purposes. The results are what hate and vengeance can do, what the Lord God warns us about. It wasn’t just about the hate and vengeance of terrorists, but for all who respond to injustice with injustice. We see the evidence of hate and retaliation on our own streets. In gun violence, in racial injustices, in rioting. God doesn’t pull the triggers, or spew hateful rhetoric against others. People do. So, why do we blame God,…when we refuse to heed His warnings?
Our OT lesson is from the last chapter of Jeremiah, who had been prophesying the destruction of Jerusalem for its sinfulness for several years. King Zedekiah was 21 when he began his reign as king, and did evil, causing God’s anger. After 7 years of warning prophecies, God ‘allows’ the merciless, cruel Babylonians to attack. He didn’t make them come, he let them come. He had removed His arm of protection. Through Jeremiah, God had told Zedekiah to peacefully surrender Jerusalem, so there would be no destruction of Jerusalem, and let themselves be taken into exile to Babylon, where God intended to get Judah’s attention in a ‘time out’. But Zedekiah ignored God. For 2 years, the Babylonians surrounded Jerusalem. Inside, the people were starving, even resorting to cannibalism. When the walls are finally breached, Zedekiah and his army fled, but the Babylonians overtake them, taking the king and his family captive, and inflicting their horrible tortures. But because they had defied Babylon, the city and the Temple were destroyed. Or should we blame God for Jerusalem’s disobedience and the subsequent destruction?
Despite God’s warnings, they had refused to obey. The consequent destruction was even more than jetliners crashing into targets. Two years of suffering because of their continuing disobedience. Then having to witness the destruction of their city, and the Temple. God would have prevented all that with the surrender and exile He had planned, but it was a “Fine, have it your way” consequence, as He allowed the Babylonians to destroy their city before their exile. In exile, the people began to realize their sinfulness, and wept for the destruction of their city and their Temple. They quit blaming God, and feared the even worse fate that God had abandoned them forever. But their fear turned to hope when Jeremiah told them God would allow them to return home, which they did seven years later, after Ezra and Nehemiah were allowed to return earlier with workers to repair the city walls and rebuild the Temple.
We might blame God for not preventing the 9/11 tragedy, but was God trying to get our attention, like he had been doing for Jerusalem? Have we heard God telling us to set aside hatred and vengeance, or be willing to accept the consequences? But despite the horrible tragedy, God had not turned His back on us then, and never will.
We should rethink any assumptions that God isn’t affected by human tragedy. Abraham bargained with God not to destroy Sodom. God would have initially spared that city if there were 50 good people to be found. He even agreed to spare them if He could have only found 10, but He couldn’t. When Jesus overlooked Jerusalem during His Palm Sunday entrance, knowing its sinfulness and the coming consequence, He wept over it. God does care… for all people.
We see an even more revealing picture of Jesus’ deep compassion in our Gospel lesson. Jesus’ close, personal friends, Mary and Martha, had sent word to Jesus that their brother Lazarus, also Jesus’ close friend, was very sick. Instead of healing Lazarus from a distance, like he had done for others, or at least preventing his death, Jesus seems to have deliberately timed his arrival until four days after Lazarus was dead. Hearing that Jesus was coming, Martha goes out to meet Him. She wastes no time in blaming Jesus for her brother’s death. We can hear the blame perhaps even anger, in her voice, “Jesus, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” In other words, “Where were You Jesus!!!” She softens a little, acknowledging that the Father would surely grant Jesus whatever He asked, seeming to yet hope for a good outcome.
Then her sister Mary arrives, tearfully falling at His feet, but through her tears, she too blames Jesus, also certain that Lazarus would not have died if He had been there. Both sisters had enough faith in Jesus to know he could have prevented his death. We might expect Jesus to smile, knowing He had come to resurrect Lazarus, and all would be well. It would be the perfect opportunity to teach about His own Resurrection that would take place in a few days. Instead, Jesus, seeing their heartbroken tears, is deeply moved, loving them and feeling their sorrow. He was there in their time of grief, and wept with them in their sorrow. Jesus, as the perfect image of His Father would tell His disciples, “If you have seen me, You have seen the Father.” Jesus felt their grief, but He also reflected His Father’s Presence and empathy for their apparent tragedy, despite knowing Lazarus’ future.
On that following Friday, in extreme agony on the Cross, Jesus would quote not only the words, but the emotions of David’s prophetic Psalm 22, written 1000 years earlier. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?” Perhaps it was the human Jesus, struggling to understand the will of His Divine Father. Or perhaps the Son of God relating to the prophecy of the Crucifixion which He was now fulfilling. Still, it must have deeply hurt the Father to put His Son through this tragic death. But God had to allow this tragedy so that He could prevent the terrible tragedy of Judgement for us. The Father had to turn His face from His sin-bearing Son while He was completing His plan for redemption, so that He wouldn’t have to turn His back on those who would turn to His Resurrected Son for salvation.
The 9/11 tragedy should never cause us to question God, “Why did You allow this?” or “Where were You?” We allowed this to happen by our sinfulness. Why were the terrorists willing to die, spreading their hateful vengeance on America? Islam teaches moral behaviors, that sin can only be forgiven by acts of atonement, but without any assurance their sin was forgiven. One of the 19 terrorists had become addicted to pornography. He blamed America as the source of that immorality, and we can’t dispute that claim at all. To be forgiven of his shame and sinfulness, he was convinced his act of terrorism might atone for his sins. These terrorists wanted to inflict punishment on America for its decadence and corruption. God might have been trying to convince them to turn back, even just before they crashed. Or to allow it as a wake up call. We may never know His reasons, other than it was not simply to inflict death, without compassion for those who suffered.
But still, where was He during the suffering? Many that day, even first responders, felt a hand reaching out to them, leading them to safety, the smoke too thick to recognize whose hands. Almost 3000 people perished, but how many others escaped that inferno by a guiding hand? I believe God and His angels were there helping along with the first responders. The Holy Spirit leading the strong Christian Todd Beamer and the other passengers to prevent Flight 93 from completing its suicide mission against the Capitol. God was there comforting the dying as well as their loved ones grieving. God was there before, during, and even after the tragedies.
In fact, I wonder if the picture over our altar, Jesus knocking, might be better understood if the painter had painted Jesus’ face and hands as soot stained and sweaty. His robe torn, soiled, scorched. Or just Jesus’ arm reaching out from thick smoke, his outstretched arm beckoning the person behind the door to follow Him. The picture simply titled “9/11”. Or maybe Jesus standing outside the Twin Towers, knocking, but titled “Before 9/11”. Because Jesus was there. He great Love would never have allowed Him to turn His back on His loved ones, in spite of our sin.
One unknown author did write a narrative about 9/11. You may have heard it before, but if you’re like me, you get choked up as many times as you hear it. Here goes:
You say you will never forget where you were when you heard the news on September 11, 2001. Neither will I. I was on the 110th floor in a smoke-filled room with a man who called his wife to say ‘Good-Bye.’ I held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the peace to say, ‘Honey, I’m not going to make it, but it’s OK. I’m ready to go.’ I was with his wife when he called as she fed breakfast to their children. I held her up as she tried to understand his words and as she realized he wasn’t coming home that night.
I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a woman cried out to Me for help. ‘I’ve been knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!’ I said. ‘Of course I’ll show you the way home – only believe in Me now.’ I was at the base of the building with the Priest ministering to the injured and devastated souls. I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He heard my voice and answered.
I was on all four of those planes, in every seat, with every prayer. I was with the crew as they were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the believers there, comforting and assuring them that their faith has saved them. I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news. Did you sense Me?
I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew every name – though not all knew Me. Some met Me for the first time on the 86th floor. Some sought Me with their last breath. Some couldn’t hear Me calling to them through the smoke and flames; ‘Come to Me… this way… take my hand.’ Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me. But I was there.
I didn’t place you in the Tower that day. You may not know why, but I do. However, if you were there in that explosive moment in time, would you have reached for Me?
Sept 11 was not the end of the journey for you. But someday your journey will end. And I will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may be found. Then, at any moment, you know you’re ‘ready to go.’ I will be in the stairwell of your final moments. Love, GOD…. Amen
