Thoughts on Anniversary of 9/11

Lest we Forget


Thoughts on the Anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001

By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD

Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy

www.franciscansdivinemercy.org

www.missionstsergius.org



As we come to the 10th anniversary of the horror of September 11, 2001, a day that will forever be engrained in the hearts and minds of all Americans just as December 7, 1942 is for those of us who were alive on that infamous day, let us examine the cost to us not only in financial terms but more importantly in human tolls.

The deaths of 2,977 mostly civilians is only the beginning of the horror since As of August 2, 2011 4,683 brave Americans have died in Iraq and Afghanistan since the launch of Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) on October 7, 2001 and Operation Iraqi Freedom, which began with the invasion of Iraq on March 19, 2003. Of the total deaths, 3,708 were due to hostile fire, and the remainder due to non-hostile actions (such as accident, suicide, or illness). Every day we learn of another brave American service person that has lost their life fighting these wars in countries that have had tribal wars with each other since before the birth of Christ.

When we add the number of young men and woman who have returned from fighting these battles maimed and broken in body and spirit with the loss of their full physical capabilities or with PTSD the toll is horrendous. How many more have to die and how many more Trillions of Dollars that are draining our economy are we going to spend fighting battles that are causing more hatred and stronger desire to retaliate against the US by those Muslim radicals who believe this is God’s will?

Today we learned of a credible threat to destroy American civilians by setting off car bombs in major cities, which causes more stress to our citizens in a time when so many are suffering from loss of work, financial difficulties and recovering from the ravages of storm damage in all parts of the nation.

Our government is dysfunctional and more interested in promoting party politics than is doing what is best for the majority of the nation. The poor get poorer and the rich only desire to get richer, causing one to wonder if Satan has not gotten control in order to have people forget the GOLDEN RULE “Do unto others as you would have done unto you”

Members of one political party would like to eliminate programs that have been a safety net for so many poor, aged and unemployed like food stamps, which have been cut by 10% because some government bureaucrats claim that the cost of living has gone down while at the grocery store the cost of every basic food item and gas to fuel transportation has continued to go up almost daily.

On these days when we recall and memorialize those who died on that fateful day including Mychal F. Judge, OFM who was a fellow Franciscan let us also offer prayers for those who have suffered and died fighting these so called wars of terror and pray that God will inspire our leaders to find ways to end the carnage and redirect the resources to building a safe, strong healthy economy where justice prevails for every person. Let us strive to build a society where THE GOLDEN RULE is the way of life. AMEN