Anamchara

A BLESSED FEAST OF ST. MICHAEL AND THE ARCHANGELS!

 

THE PRAYER TO ST. MICHAEL

St. Michael the Archangel,

Defend us in battle;

Be our defense against the

Wickedness and snares of the devil.

May God rebuke him we humbly pray.

And do you, O prince of the Heavenly Host

By the power of God,

Thrust into hell Satan and the other evil spirits,

Who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls.

Amen.

 

24th SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME--9/11/11--REMEMBERING 9/11

 

24^th SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME–9/11/11-REMEMBERING 9/11

　by Msgr. Eric R. Barr, STL

 

I. They Are Not Forgotten; We Always Remember

A. It’s hard not to be reminded of 9/11. Wherever I turn, that day somehow comes to mind. Just a few weeks ago, I was watching TV and saw something that make my heart ache again. You know how much I love animals, especially Chocolate Labradors. One of the servicemen killed in that helicopter crash a few weeks ago in Afghanistan, Navy Seal Jon Tumilson had a very special friend who came to his funeral–his best friend, Hawkeye, a Chocolate Labrador. The funeral was held in a high school gym, and Hawkeye led the family in to their seats. And then, the dog, by himself, walked up to the coffin, draped with the American flag, and laid down with a heart-wrenching sigh for the duration of the funeral. That Navy Seal’s death is a direct result of 9/11. He wouldn’t have died, had we not been attacked ten years ago. The wars we have fought and still fight, the acts of terror that still go on, the heartbreaking lonliness of family and friends left behind, all proceed from that act of hatred so long ago.

B. It’s hard for me to watch anything about that day–tears come to my eyes. But I think today it is good for us to remember what all this means.

　

II. The Lessons Learned

A. There is evil in the world.

B. There is also great heroism.

C. In the midst of chaos, evil seeks to marginalize truth.

1. We do not have to hate Muslims in order to recognize the real existence of Islamic radicalism.

2. We do not have to paint all religion–like the Mayor of New York does–as pointlessly partisan.

3. We cannot whitewash what happened–we must place responsibility.

D. In order to survive, we must fight evil.

E. We must remember God–the God who speaks in the Scriptures today. Christianity has often been warlike, but you won’t find that in Jesus’ teaching. There is no jihad in our faith. The atheists like to say, "Isn’t it a remarkable piece of luck that two steel beams twisted together and fell on top of the remains of one of the towers?" An yet those twisted beams were in the form of a perfect Cross. For the first responders, the victims’ families, and all of deeper heart and purpose, that Cross gave hope, that evil could never ultimately conquer, and that in suffering, we could find true purpose, an undying hope, and real resurrection.

III. We Are All Changed

A. Some just don’t know it. We are less afraid. We are stronger. And for those who have faith, our faith is deeper. But the world is a darker place. Evil on Sept 11, opened a rift into our world and in its wake has come, for many, cynicism, hatred of God, and revulsion to religion. That must be fought.

B. It’s easy to say there are those who want to kill us. There are some of our own countrymen who now would like to ban our faith. There is a creeping secularism that threatens to give the godless act of Sept. 11, real staying power. We are all changed. But let us be changed for the better. With love, with firm faith, with the hope that gives us the courage to stand up for what we believe, let’s honor our country’s fallen today, and let’s beg our gracious God to make us strong so that the light of his Son Jesus Christ will sweep the darkness from our land and give peace to our hearts.

C. For all those who died as a result of 9/11–the victims, those who went to war and gave their lives so we might be free, and especially the unsung heroes of that day of those wars whose heroism showed the best that humanity is capable of. Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord...