The Message of Bishop Basil (Essey) delivered at the Citywide Candlelight Vigil, Lawrence-Dumont Stadium — Wichita, Kansas, September 12, 2001 (Oct. ’01)
Whenever a death or any tragedy strikes a family, the first and natural impulse of the members of that family is to gather together. We seek and, thankfully, find comfort and solace in just being together. Likewise on the occasion of yesterday’s tragedies our first and natural impulse was to gather with our larger families. Last evening the Orthodox Christians of this city – young and old – gathered as a family of faith, filling St George Cathedral for a Service of Supplication and for the pure comfort and solace which being together brings to our hearts and souls. And this evening it is meet and right that we Orthodox Christians join with our larger family of fellow citizens of the City of Wichita – Christians and non-Christians, believers and nonbelievers, people of every race and background – all members of the one family known as Americans. Yesterday the enemies of our American family attempted in a few minutes to destroy and unravel that precious tapestry which is the United States of America. Let our gathering together tonight be a witness to our unity and to the futility of that evil, cowardly, and most reprehensible act. For those of you who are not Christians, what I will say in a few moments may make little sense – or may even appear to be complete foolishness. I regret to say that it may even appear so to some who call themselves Christians. But it is who and what we Christians are; and we, though strands in the fabric which makes up the one tapestry of America, remain who we are – followers of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and Benefactor, who teaches us this hard – this very difficult – lesson: from the fifth chapter of the holy Gospel according to St Matthew, beginning at the forty-third verse, our Lord says,
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans do the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans do so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
We will, most likely, need to be reminded of this teaching of our Lord Jesus over and over as the coming days pass, lest we become consumed with anger and hatred as the horror of yesterday becomes multiplied as we watch the number of injured and dead rising to unbelievable heights. Remember that as Christians we seek justice, not revenge. “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19). Yes, justice requires that we seek out our enemies – those who are responsible for these attacks on our American family and all who aided and abetted them in carrying out their barbaric deeds, but justice also demands that we not label as “enemy” an entire people, ethnic group or religious community. In the face of the unspeakable pain and sorrow and, for many, the paralyzing fear occasioned by yesterday’s tragedies, let us be comforted and emboldened by these words of Psalm 46 authored by the Holy Prophet and King and Psalmist David, the ancestor of Christ God:
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will fear not, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Come, behold the works of the Lord what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
The Orthodox Christians of this city are your friends, your neighbors, and your co-workers. Though you may not know much about our faith – “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3) – you know our names and our faces well. In closing, let me share with you the words of a prayer by which your friends, neighbors, and co-workers -- Orthodox Christians -- supplicate God at times such as this:
O Lord God of hosts, God of our salvation, God who alone doest wonders: in mercy and goodness look upon thy humble servants, and as the Lover of mankind hear us and have mercy on us. For, behold, our enemies have gathered themselves against us to destroy us and to bring ruin to our sanctuaries. Help us, O God our Savior, and deliver us, for the glory of thy Name, and grant that we also may say with truth, as did Moses when he spoke to the people of Israel, and said: “Be bold, and stand fast; and ye shall see the salvation that cometh from the Lord … The Lord shall fight for you” (Exodus 14:13 & 14). Yea, O Lord God our Savior, our strength, our hope, and our protection: remember not the transgressions and unrighteousness of thy people, and turn not away from us because of thine anger; but in mercy and goodness look upon thine humble servants who bow down before thy loving kindness. Rise up to help us, and grant us victory over our enemies in thy Name. Grant forgiveness of sins to those, who in the mystery of thy dispensation, have lost their lives at the hands of our enemies, and on the day of thy just retribution bestow on them crowns of incorruption; for thou art the protection, the victory and the salvation of those who hope on thee, and to thee we ascribe glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.
Amen. And God bless America.
Why Did God Allow This to Happen?
By Jason Misleh (Oct. ’01)
On September 11, 2001, our country fell victim to one of the most tragic acts of violence ever. I do not think there is anyone who has not been affected by this. This is evident by the many prayer services offered by churches, the moment of silence that was offered around the world, and by the thousands of American flags displayed proudly in front of homes and businesses.
Wow. What a disaster! Death tolls are estimated to be over six thousand after these attacks. One must only wonder, and ask himself or herself, “Why? Why did this happen? Why didn’t security at the airport catch this? Why would someone want to do this? And, lastly, and most importantly, why would God Himself allow someone to do this? Is this part of God’s plan for us, and if it is, why?”
First off, lets take a look at death. Did you know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, then we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His (paraphrased from Romans 6: 3-5). The Church has a lot to say about death. We do know that Christ will be returning to judge the world. We are taught that through our free will, we should live our lives in a Christian way so that we are prepared to enter the Kingdom of Heaven when Christ returns.
Now let’s look at this question everyone is asking, “Why?” No matter what the reason for things happening, good or bad, the question we always ask ourselves is: “Why?” In this case, it’s why would God allow all those people to die in such a horrito ble event? And there are many answers that people will come up with. Answers like “God must’ve needed another angel,” “God needed them,” “God had a plan for him,” “God chose her,” or “God felt like it.” (Taken from Fr. Stavros Akrotirianakis’ article “Why Bad Things Happen, an Orthodox Prospective.”) Well, to tell you the truth, maybe God is not responsible. Every time something bad happens, society is the first to put the responsibility on God. These answers are incorrect. Why? (There’s that question again!) Because if these allegations against God are true, then God is a mass murderer, baby killer, rapist, traffic lawbreaker, terrorist, airplane hijacker, and everything else our imaginative minds can think of. Every time we have a problem in our lives, it is not God’s fault. God only provides good.
Bad things happen though. Why? People make foolish decisions every day of their lives, taking advantage of the free will given to us by God. I speak not of the mistakes people make; I speak of those decisions that people know are wrong and choose anyway. For example, if you are driving sixty miles per hour, in a forty mile per hour speed zone, and the traffic signal in front of you turns yellow, then red, and you fail to stop, causing a serious crash, you have made foolish decisions. Notice how “decisions” is plural. First off, you were going far too fast for the road. Secondly, when you saw the yellow light, you made the decision not to slow. Then when you saw red, you made another decision, not to brake as hard as humanly possible to avoid crossing that intersection. God created the world “and saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:31) By making these decisions, you have created bad (or have distorted the good), not only for yourself, but for the other driver you endangered, the police officer who had horrito respond and see your head through the windshield, the paramedics who had to revive you, the fire technicians who had to cut your car apart to save you, the people who were held up in the traffic jam, and the people who physically saw the crash happen. Combine every bad decision made in a split second and concentrate them all in one place, and the effects would be devastating.
So, the decisions of these terrorists, who attacked the United States of America, have caused a massive chain reaction. First of all, thousands of people were killed in the Trade Centers and countless others will live with devastating injuries. Secondly, all the passengers on the planes were killed; their families torn apart. Thirdly, schools, businesses, and events were closed throughout the country, causing great inconvenience to everyone. And, if that didn’t impact you, just seeing people fall to their deaths from the 110th story of an office building should have made you quiver a little. And, if you are one of those people who just don’t care, you also were affected. Not only will it take you an hour to go through security at an airport, but also for the next week, while watching your precious MTV, you will be reminded of this horrible tragedy by the messages that scroll along the bottom of the screen.
So why did God let this happen? If he didn’t, the freedom he has passed to us as human beings would not exist. Before placing the blame of something evil and tragic on God, think about it. Why would a loving God ever want to harm anyone? And never forget, the most asked question in the universe is “Why?” The most unanswered question, unfortunately, is also “Why?” In this case, the answer may be our misuse of free will.
Prejudice Against Arab-Americans
by Maher Salah (Oct. ’01)
The recent terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington D.C. have greatly affected the lives of all Americans. Our entire nation mourns this great loss and searches for answers. Although many people are scared and fearing further attacks, we must, as Orthodox Christians, become firm in our faith. We must also remember that God will not give us anything that we cannot handle without His help. I recently got the chance to discuss these recent events with my priest, Father George Shalhoub. Here are some of his thoughts and reactions to the events that have shaken our nation.
“We must acknowledge this true injury, and remember the pain all people are feeling. We cannot pretend that these things will go away. This crisis is a sad event that will touch Americans of all religions, for pain knows no color, beliefs, or boundaries. Although we may be frightened, this tragedy will make the United States stronger and it will give us the chance to be courageous, supportive, and extend a helping hand to our neighbors and all other people. Christianity challenges us to not live in fear, but in hope. We must have God’s hope poured into our hearts, so we can withstand this tragedy. Perseverance gives us hope and as St Paul said, ‘Hope does not disappoint us.’ (Romans 5:5)”
I asked Father George how children and teens should try to handle these events. “The youth must remember how much they are loved by God and Jesus Christ, who died for us so we may live. Our young people may not know how to deal with this violence because they are desensitized to it. No humans live without suffering, but we must rejoice…God is love and there should be no fear in love. Especially now, we must remember to love our friends and neighbors. We should go out of our way to help others, in any possible way, by donating money or supplies, sponsoring charities, and participating in activities to help those in need. These things will redeem us.”
We later discussed the possible backlash and prejudice toward Arab-Americans here in the United States. “We must not be intimidated, as members of the church, because of our skin color or last names. We are a part of the landscape of this country, and we help make it as beautiful as it is. We should not allow discrimination to rise, nor should we feel one ounce of shame or guilt. This crime was ungodly and an act of terrorism. Not all Muslims and Arabs are criminals. We should avoid foolish debates and allow the authorities to find those responsible.”
As crisis and possible war face our country, we must remember who we are. We are Americans. But first and foremost, we are Christians. People all over the world are in need of our prayers and help. We must pray for those who have departed this earth, as well as for those who are suffering and hoping to find loved ones. We must also pray for the people who committed these awful crimes; that they may repent and ask God for forgiveness of their sins. These tragedies have presented all of us with the opportunity to put loving actions with our faith. As Christians we are called on to help those in need, especially in times of trouble. As Father George put it, “We must die to selfishness, fear, and inconvenience and live for charity, good will, and hope.”
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1). In this time of uncertainty we must constantly focus on the one certainty in our lives: Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We must continue to come together, heal as a nation, and live in God’s love.
Father George Shalhoub is the priest at St. Mary’s Antiochian Orthodox Church in Livonia, Michigan.
This Time of Sadness by Lauren Boumaroun (Oct. ’01)
In this time of sadness, as a country we should unite.
What took away our smiles, will make our country fight.
If only we could solve this in another way,
But that's not the way it happens, not in the present day.
These days it seems as though war will settle all,
But that isn't how it goes, we must stand proud and tall.
We need to reason with whomever did this deed.
Because that was something that we did not need.
That Tuesday morning, it was a big surprise.
Something so tragic makes tears well in our eyes.
Every time I think of it, I really want to cry.
What did we ever do to make all those people die?
Soon we will find the answers to the questions that we ask,
But right now saving lives is the most important task.
All we need to do is pray to God above
And ask Him to look down on us and send us all His love.
For in the end I know that He will make things right.
The Lord will help us out we may not have to fight.
How We Cope With Disaster Contributed by Andy Miller, w/help from Drs. Barry and Chrissy Hary (Oct. ’01)
After the events of 9/11, we’re all recovering, some of us mentally, some of us physically, and some of us emotionally.
Things you can do to help:
Donate blood, and not just once. Before this tragedy, the Red Cross typically faced blood shortages. Blood donation should not be limited to just when an appalling event occurs.
Raise and/or donate money to one of the many relief funds or agencies that are focused on the disaster.
Collect items needed by the Red Cross, the United Way, and rescue/clean-up workers.
Write in a journal. While this may not help others, it provides an outlet for your emotions and thoughts on the subject.
Don’t be afraid to take some private time to deal with the subject on your own.
Don’t be pressured to talk about anything you don’t want to talk about. Realize, however, that it’s not healthy to keep thoughts and emotions on an issue this volatile tucked away.
Train to be a Red Cross volunteer. Take classes, learn CPR, or become a volunteer firefighter.
Exercise. You’d be amaze how much of the excess energy and emotional burden this works off.
Turn off the TV and get away from the informational assault sometimes. While it’s good to be informed on issues, there’s a tendency to watch continuously, lest we miss the latest news. Such overload is not good for the psyche.
Take the initiative to talk with others and express your feelings.
Structure your time and continue with your normal pattern of activities as much as is possible.
Maintain good nutrition and don’t numb yourself with alcohol or drugs (which you shouldn’t do anyways). While those things are bad normally, in situations like this, they only make things worse.
Give yourself permission to feel sad, depressed, and overwhelmed.
Remind yourself that these reactions are normal — you’re not crazy, and chances are a lot of people are going through what you’re going through.
Increase your prayer time, and spend more time at church. Sharing time with others who share your faith will make any burden easier to bear.
Message from Father Purpura (Oct. ’01)
Very early in the morning of September 12 (4:32 AM) I received the following e-mail from an Arab reader of our e-mail and Web Site:
I am very sorry for the tragedy that happened yesterday, it was great sadness and deepest sense of shock. I hope that you and everyone you know, friends, families nothing happened to them and are safe.
God be with you.
My response in those early hours was as follows:
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. My family and close friends are safe, though thousands of innocent civilian American Men, Woman and Children died needlessly, not to mention the countless number of children left without parents.
I fear that this senseless act has not only put the peace process in great jeopardy, but has also served to turn away the American sympathy for the Palestinians and other suffering Arabs, that so many of us have spent our lives trying to build. The process, of which great success was being achieved, of raising the American awareness of the needs of the Palestinians and Lebanese people, I believe has been permanently damaged and perhaps beyond repair for decades.
America now feels that it is at war — I fear that in many American minds they will not sort out an "Arab terrorist" from “the Arab people" or perhaps even "Arab Americans". Many of us of Arabic descent fought the past stereotypes of all Arabic people being terrorists. Many lives and much energy were spent on building awareness of the "good Arab people" — I fear that all of that progress was lost yesterday.
The terrorists who thought they were helping their cause, I believe, set in motion the end of their group's existence and all those who have supported them. America today seems resolute on these facts and I believe America will avenge these deaths at no matter what cost of American Soldiers — it is indeed a sad day for American-Arab Relations — if in fact the reports are true that it was Arabs from Palestine, Lebanon and other Arab nations who plotted, supported and implemented these events.
Pray for all good people of the world. Today America is determined to go to war to avenge these deaths and Americans will settle for nothing less, no matter the cost or the time needed to do so.
Those were my raw thoughts on that early morning on the 12 of September. While my prayers were fervent for all those killed in the senseless attacks in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, my thoughts and prayers quickly turned to what this meant for America and the world. Certainly America would not and could not let these acts stand without a very strong response – no less could be expected of any government who cares for its people.
While America prepares for war, we as Orthodox Christian young people need to pray for all involved: for those who died needlessly, for those who will die defending America’s right to peace and security, for those who will die innocently as collateral damage in our response, for those who will die as soldiers against America’s response defending what they feel is their cause, and yes, even for those who hijacked the planes, so distorted in their view of the world, that they gave up all hope and saw death and destruction as the only solution.
These are not easy prayers, but they must be prayed if we are filled with God’s Love, Compassion, and Mercy. We need to pray for all people’s salvation. We need to be mindful that evil begets evil, hatred begets hatred – it is only love and holiness that overcomes hatred and evil. While the government must do what needs to be done militarily, monetarily, politically and otherwise; we can do our part by praying for all, being holy and righteous.
Our faith can and needs to change the world. We need to be hopeful in the midst of hopelessness, joyful in the midst of joylessness, loving in the midst of hatred, compassionate in the midst of no compassion. Yes, we can change our world and find that inner peace that comes from Christ alone – no matter what the world has to offer and brings to and against us.
We need to do all of this because in the end, when the bombs stop falling, the guns fall silent, the covert and overt operations end, the only thing that will end desperate acts is love and compassion. We need to stand ready to bring people back together – to Christ – to Him who heals and binds. Only then will we find honor, security, peace, and a sense of wholeness.
Pray that in the end – all acts in this tragic event will lead to peace, safety, security, and ultimately to holiness and Christ Himself who is our safe harbor in the midst of all storms.
Be assured of God’s love for you and for all people of the world. Follow that love and you will find the strength to endure and overcome all things.
Yours in Christ,
Very Rev Dr Joseph Purpura
Reflection: Rush of Emotions by Andy Miller (Oct. ’01)
For a generation that always seemed to be searching for an identity, for a purpose, for a sense of unity, a generation that had previously remembered only moments such as the Challenger disaster, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Gulf War, the OJ Simpson case, and the last Clinton scandal, on the 11th of September we found a meaning that we always wanted in a way we never would have dreamed in our worst nightmares. And for the time being, what we can recall is nothing but a maelstrom of emotion.
How can one not feel shock upon seeing the images of the plane crashes, the collapse of the towers, and the rubble that remains? This was something out of a summer blockbuster, filled with special effects that we never expected to see outside of a movie screen. This was war brought home to us like it never has been before, a war the majority of Americans were unaware they were involved in. This was the kaleidoscopic image of a devastated city, the wounded, the smoke imposed on America's greatest city, where as before people could simply turn off the evening news.
How can one not feel immense sadness when one sees a wall of pictures of those missing, photos of individuals during better times, full of personal details, anything to aid others in helping people find their lost loved ones? How can one not feel grief when one of those searching relates a brief story about the person, desperately holding his or her picture in front of the camera, wishing that someone has seen their loved one? How can one not tear up when one hears of the firefighters frantically climbing the stairs even as a steady stream of people were evacuating, even as the buildings collapsed? It breaks my heart in a thousand different ways I didn't know were possible.
How can one not feel anything but pride and respect for those passengers that chose to challenge the hijackers on Flight 93? Knowing that their lives were forfeit, they chose to spend their remaining moments saving others. And as it's been pointed out, they did two things that Americans take for granted. First, they voted on what to do. Then, they prayed.
How can one not find honor in his fellow world citizens? From Canada down to Argentina, from Spain to Korea, the outpouring of sympathy from the citizens of every country speaks of what is best in all of us. The civilized world has a universal respect for human life and its intrinsic value. Thus, loss on such a scale is shared by everyone, as spoken by French President Chirac: “Today we are all Americans…”, echoing and redefining President Kennedy’s comments in 1963 in Berlin.
How can anyone feel anything but shame when you hear of prejudice directed towards Arab-Americans and Muslims? A country that originated out of tolerance for different people and different religions should not quickly forget what's important. While we certainly demand justice and feel anger at those who caused these horrendous attacks, we should not let hate and intolerance become the ruling emotions of the day.
And how can one feel anything but hope for our future as a country and a world? The number of shining examples of the human spirit that have emerged from this tragedy outweigh all the horror that it brought and whatever evil might ensue. The man who wouldn’t leave his friend, a paraplegic, even as the towers collapsed. The courage of the rescue workers, tirelessly and selflessly working to rescue the wounded. The people who turned out in droves to volunteer, to donate money, to give blood. Five different religions, including Islam, with their own representatives under the one roof of the National Cathedral for a memorial service. People holding candlelight vigils. There seems to be a renewed appreciation for what we have — not only the freedoms and the security we have taken for granted, but our bonds with people everywhere, the importance of faith, the value of our very lives. It’s not unusual to see people these days taking a moment for themselves, to offer a prayer for themselves and the world around.
I don’t know what I’ll feel about this event in 50 years, but I know one thing for sure. I’m determined to look towards the future without fear and full of hope. I know from the events of the past two weeks that through the grace of God, the human spirit remains vibrant and undiminished, and that even at the worst of times, there is absolutely nothing we cannot accomplish.