Armodoxy for Today: 9/11 Break for the Good

Every September 11, since 2001, we here in America take a moment to reflect on true evil and its manifestation in the world today. Of course, if you’re in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, the DRC, Ethiopia, or Armenia, you really don’t need to take a moment, hour or day off to realize this. In many places of the world, the devastation and the obscene acts of destruction and hatred that we saw at the 9/11 terrorist attacks here in the United States, is a matter of life and living.

Tragically, evil exists. It always has. Because evil is demonstrated in such an overwhelming and destructive manner, it is easy to overlook the extent to which good plays in the world. As we reflect on the over 3,000 people that perished in the cowardly attacks on the American people on September 11, 2001, we remember also the heroes of the day, who selflessly put life and safety to one side to help those in dire need.

The images of the twin towers at the World Trade Center, with two jumbo jets crashed into the side of the buildings, fire, smoke, jumpers and then finally the horrific collapse of the buildings are forever engraved in our memory. The images we may have missed are those of the first responders, the New York City fire firefighters who entered the buildings with the knowledge that they may not come back out alive. The police and EMT professionals who went into destroyed buildings and sifted through rubble looking for signs of life and pulled out living and dead bodies, only to continue to their search for the next body.

And then there is Mychal Fallon Judge, a Roman Catholic priest and Franciscan friar who served as a chaplain to the New York City Fire Department. His prayers for the firefighters offered them encouragement. He ministered to the homeless, people with AIDS, the sick and injured. The morning of 9/11, upon hearing that the towers had been struck by jet liners, he went directly to ground zero. There he prayed and comforted others. He died that morning becoming the first certified fatality of the September 11 attacks.

Firefighters picked up his breathless body and took him a few blocks away to St. Peter’s Catholic Church where they placed him before the altar. A picture capturing that moment has since been called “An American Pieta.”

We take this break on 9/11 to reflect on the beauty that we call life and remember that the power of good is always greater than the power of evil.

Today hear the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”  – John 15:13

From the Armenian Church’s requiem prayer, O Christ, Son of God, forbearing and compassionate, have mercy in Your love as our Creator, upon the souls of those who are at rest, especially on your servant Fr. Mychal Fallon Judge and those who perished in the attack of September 11, 2001. Be mindful of them on the great day of the coming of Your kingdom. Number and glorify them with the company of Your saints at Your right hand. Amen.