Q U I C K S C A N

To be human is to be vulnerable
Violence is not the answer
Humanity's model for the future
Embracing human vulnerability
How to honor those who have suffered

"Turn your TV on," a Cincinnati co-worker advised me ominously last year on the morning of September 11. "Something serious is happening in New York City." I flipped on the little black and white TV on my desk at St. Anthony Messenger and stared at the screen. Eerie plumes of smoke were rising from one of the towers of the World Trade Center. "Something serious, indeed," I said to myself later as the story moved closer to its horrific climax.

I felt weak, queasy and insecure to the core. I was not the only one. People around the globe felt a great vulnerability at the base of their humanity. Our sense of identity—who we were, who we were in the process of becoming—seemed profoundly shaken. As our military and that of various allies began tracking down terrorist groups and destroying their positions in Afghanistan and other places, some of us may have felt the return of some sense of order and stability.

To be human is to be vulnerable

That is an illusion, at least in part, for deep down we realize that we live in a more insecure world than we thought—a world in which even so-called powerful nations are vulnerable to new levels of danger, cruelty and political forces we can't fully understand. Nor is military force, in the long run, our only and surest way to manage our security. Whether it be our awareness of our troubled economy, of the Middle East conflict spiraling out of control, or of the ugly picture we paint of ourselves when we overplay the superpower card, we're beginning to see ourselves as God sees us: At bottom, we Americans a're no less vulnerable than the rest of humanity.

As we come to the first anniversary of September 11, 2001, it's important to hold reverently in memory the nearly 3,000 people who died in the terror attacks on that day. I invite you—members of our friendly Internet community—to take a moment to bring to prayerful memory our brothers and sisters who died in these attacks, described by Pope John Paul II as "a terrible assault against human dignity."

Violence is not the answer

It's also a good time to look beyond war and violence as we search for the most solid basis for hope and security in the future. Our Judaeo-Christian tradition reminds us of the dangers—and the idolatry—of placing our trust in weapons and violence rather than in God and the values that God represents.

An artist friend recently shared with me this quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. "The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate." One can easily see this dreadful truth being borne out in the Middle East and other places where ever-increasing violence seems to be the major strategy followed.

The King quote further points out that violence ends up "adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: Only love can do that."

Humanity's model for the future

Like Martin Luther King, we who call ourselves Christian find in our own religious tradition the true model of how we should live in the post-September-11 world. With our sense of identity and stability deeply shaken by the events of 9/11 and its aftermath, it's the right time to revisit the basic questions of who am I, who am I meant to become, what is my role in today's world, who is the model and blueprint of the truly fulfilled human being? The answer very obviously is Jesus Christ, but we may have lost sight of it—or the answer has become a bit blurry.

We profess that Christ is the key to understanding our meaning as human beings. This is a truth that Pope John Paul II has been affirming since the beginning of his pontificate. On his first visit to the United States in October of 1979, John Paul II told American youth gathered in New York's Madison Square Garden: "When you wonder about the mystery of yourself, look to Christ who gives you the meaning of life. When you wonder what it means to be a mature person, look to Christ who is the fullness of humanity. And when you wonder about your role in the future of the world and of the United States, look to Christ."

Today as we continue to recoil from the shock of coming face to face with our own human vulnerability, we need to be reminded of who is the true model of humanity as never before. The pope's words apply to each of us whether we are young or old and no matter what our country of origin. The pope made a similar statement to the people of Poland, that same year when in Warsaw Victory Square he described Christ as "the key to understanding the great and fundamental reality of man."

Embracing human vulnerability

One of the first things we discover in Jesus, the model for our humanity, is that he did not seek to escape human vulnerability. If that were so, the last thing the Son of God would have done was assume human nature at his Incarnation. Nor did he surround himself with an armed bodyguard. "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul....Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? And yet, not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge....So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows" (Matthew 10:29).

Jesus spoke out fearlessly against injustice and courageously stood up against those who would harm or oppress others, especially the poor and disadvantaged. Yet, he did not recommend returning violence for violence. His message on this was clear and forceful: "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, 'Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also.'...

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say, 'Love your enemies and pray for those who hate you....'" When cruel violence was unjustly inflicted upon Jesus at his crucifixion, he did not respond with violence. When his persecutors drove nails into his hands and thrust a spear into his side, what flowed from Jesus' wounds was not vengeance or a corresponding measure of violence, but blood and water shed for their healing and transformation.

How to honor those who have suffered

The most Christian way to honor the 3,000 who died on September 11 or who still grieve these tragic losses is not by stepping up the violence or recklessly multiplying attacks on enemy regimes and their populations. A more honorable response would be to strive to achieve greater cooperation with our allies and the leaders at the United Nations and people of good will around the globe. If we are to accept Jesus and his mission as our model and guide, we should put more national energy into building a world where greed, violence, bigotry and hatred are replaced by generosity, nonviolent peacemaking, understanding and forgiving love.

I'd like to recommend to you a web page my coworkers at AmericanCatholic.org have put together: 5 Ways to Remember September 11. You'll find there an invitation to pray, to discuss, to read, pledge peace or send commemorative e-greetings, including Father Mychal Judge's prayer.

The quotes of the pope and commentary on them are found in Friar Jack's inspirational book A Retreat With Pope John Paul II: Be Not Afraid.

A Message From Friar Jack

Welcome! I hope you'll enjoy all of the news about what's happening at AmericanCatholic.org, as well as my "musings." By the way, I am a real Franciscan friar. You can find out more about me here.

Five ways to commemorate the first anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks through prayer, pledging to work for peace, reading personal stories, participating in a discussion board and sending a peace prayer of St. Francis ecard.
Remembering 9/11

Take some time, learn, stay informed and practice your faith in remembrance of 9/11. “Let us remember the lessons learned from this tragedy. And then let us move forward—broken, but strong.”

The Peace Prayer of St. Francis for Home, School, or Parish
St. Francis of Assisi traveled to the Holy Land to bring peace between Christians and Muslims. Use the Peace Prayer Door Hanger to pray for peace among families, friends, neighbors, cultures, races, religions and countries

Send a 9/11 e-greeting

Send a prayer for peace or send Fr. Mychal's prayer, "Lord, take me where you want me to go...."

We renew our call for the Catholic community to be what the Holy Father asks us to be: a people of life and a people for life.
The U.S. Bishops' New Pro-Life Plan in Condensed Form

"Where is God when what you dread happens?" This audiotape filled with stories and graced with funny moments, will remind us of our own lives and the spirituality of struggle. In her learned wisdom, Livingston says: "In the mystery of life something happens. In the desperation and discouragement...we discover we are not abandoned!"
The Spirituality of Struggle:
Living as a Disciple

Every Day Catholic

Conversation Corners this month are about persecution. Also, take the Every Day Catholic poll on how you can show your solidarity with the persecuted.

There is a deep desire in humans to find a reason for their suffering and to discover some meaning in it.
The Bible provides several answers to the question "why me?".