Scroll through Facebook and Twitter today and you'll see a lot of posts saying "Never forget," referring to the tragedy of the lives lost at the Towers and the Pentagon and Flight 93. You see pictures of the towers, flags, the statue of Liberty, and eagles, firefighters and police officers, and other patriotic images. Occasionally one sees a post which seems rather aggressive or even racist, or promotes a current political agenda that has little to do with remembering the victims. Other posts are more religious and urge people to pray for the nation, to pray for peace. It's good to the see the United States reflecting as a nation and as individuals, and at least considering the spiritual meaning of the events of this day twelve years ago.
The risk is that we will remember in a nostalgic, relatively passive way, instead of reflecting on the meaning of the day and what we can actually do to honor our dead heroes. It's nice to post an inspiring picture with a memorial caption, but what's the point if that's all we do? In a similar way I'm sometimes distressed when I see people posting memes about how much they love their spouse or children or parents, because I can't help but wonder why they're telling me how much they love their mom---call your mom and tell her!
So if we want to honor those who lost their lives in 9/11, here are some suggestions:
----Visit a local veteran's home or hospital---it won't matter if you know the people you visit, just tell them you are grateful for their service; make sure you listen as much as you talk.
----make a donation to a memorial fund for your local firefighters, or to the National Law
Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (Click HERE for more info).
----Talk to children about what religious tolerance means and how to promote it in our lives.
----Think of someone you know who had a death in family several months ago. By now, the
expressions of sympathy have stopped but the pain is still there. Send a note, make a call,
ask them out for lunch.
And bake some bread. HERE is a recipe for Herbal Encouragement Bread, which uses ingredients that symbolize pain and struggle and the courage to overcome them. It's a recipe you can use anytime someone you know is in need of emotional support, even if that person is you.
P.S. In case you're wondering what I did, today in class we prayed for all students who are still looking for where they fit in, still discovering their gifts and wondering how to use them, and asking God to send us his Spirit so we can create a school and a world where that can happen. Tonight at Stage Crew, we'll help our crop of freshman Stage Rats begin to do just that. "Give success to the work of our hands, O Lord." Feel free to leave a comment here or on my Facebook Page to share what you did this week to make the world a better place.
The risk is that we will remember in a nostalgic, relatively passive way, instead of reflecting on the meaning of the day and what we can actually do to honor our dead heroes. It's nice to post an inspiring picture with a memorial caption, but what's the point if that's all we do? In a similar way I'm sometimes distressed when I see people posting memes about how much they love their spouse or children or parents, because I can't help but wonder why they're telling me how much they love their mom---call your mom and tell her!
So if we want to honor those who lost their lives in 9/11, here are some suggestions:
----Visit a local veteran's home or hospital---it won't matter if you know the people you visit, just tell them you are grateful for their service; make sure you listen as much as you talk.
----make a donation to a memorial fund for your local firefighters, or to the National Law
Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (Click HERE for more info).
----Talk to children about what religious tolerance means and how to promote it in our lives.
----Think of someone you know who had a death in family several months ago. By now, the
expressions of sympathy have stopped but the pain is still there. Send a note, make a call,
ask them out for lunch.
And bake some bread. HERE is a recipe for Herbal Encouragement Bread, which uses ingredients that symbolize pain and struggle and the courage to overcome them. It's a recipe you can use anytime someone you know is in need of emotional support, even if that person is you.
P.S. In case you're wondering what I did, today in class we prayed for all students who are still looking for where they fit in, still discovering their gifts and wondering how to use them, and asking God to send us his Spirit so we can create a school and a world where that can happen. Tonight at Stage Crew, we'll help our crop of freshman Stage Rats begin to do just that. "Give success to the work of our hands, O Lord." Feel free to leave a comment here or on my Facebook Page to share what you did this week to make the world a better place.
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