Fr. Charles Irvin, Diocese of Lansing at 402-A E. Madison Street, DeWitt, MI 48820 US - 9/11 - A Day In Infamy

"Father, Into Your Hands..."

September 11, 2001 - A Day In Eternal Infamy Dearest Friends, The hand of malevolent evil has come down upon us as a nation of people in an event that eclipses the attack on Pearl Harbor, which occurred sixty years ago. How should we respond? I think we should respond now as we did then. The first and most essential thing, it seems to me, is to place ourselves under the protective and loving power of OUR Father. Suddenly the word "Our" takes on imperative meaning. Truly this horror is something that affects us all as a family of people. God is Justice. He is wholly Justice. He is holy and all-powerful in His Justice. What I need to do is to quell the emotions of rage, retribution and desire for revengeful killing that wells up within me. As Americans we are a people of laws, of justice and of fairness. Scattered, irrational and misdirected energies in us born of terror, fear and rage are exactly what terrorists want. They want to see us "fall apart" in helplessness. We must not allow ourselves to be victimized and held hostage to their cowardly intimidation. Our response , I believe, should be to care for the countless thousands who are suffering and who need tender, loving care. Our caring ought to be spiritual through prayer, the giving of our very blood, and the physical and emotional care we can give more directly where possible. Then, I believe, we should discipline ourselves to a calm and resolute marshalling of our resources not only to recover from these blows but also to focus our energies on effective, purposeful and determined ways to identify and punish the forces of evil who have done this heinous infamy, one that will live in eternity. Experts have been futilely telling us that we are in a new form of warfare, one without front lines, without "rules of engagement", without combat troops. We are in a form of warfare that is directed against large blocs of civilian populations involving methods of mass destruction. To our horrific loss, we have not listened to these experts, those who have really studied the new delivery systems of death and destruction. Perhaps now we will listen. Is this the "end of the world"? No. But it should be an end to our former ways of living. Our lives will be changed far into our future. We will no longer be able to live superficial lives devoted to pursuing our petty pleasures. We must live lives now directed by our Father in heaven, rededicating ourselves to revealing His kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven. This will demand of us a renewed pursuit of Justice, of Truth, of Wisdom, of Fortitude, Courage and reverence for what is good and decent instead of what is base, vulgar and violent. Perhaps the warped and twisted souls of these terrorists believe that the Deity is pleased with their attack. If so then they are the spawn of the Father of Lies, our Ancient Enemy who knows that Americans are, deep down, people of faith who place their trust in God. It is for us to demonstrate to the world that it is indeed true that " In God We Trust." Fr. Charles Irvin

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