Monday Musing - Fear Not!

The feelings took me completely by surprise… I got the email, saw that there was a photo attachment, so I opened it. The photo is of a tree.  Our pastor, Father Jerry, had gone to New York City for the day,  and he took this picture, and sent it to me.

The tree that lived, from the World Trade Center. Photo taken by Jerome Gingras.

Waves of sadness washed over me, causing me to close my eyes; I felt like the floor might rush up to meet me. As if in a movie, this took place in what must have been a millisecond. As my eyes fluttered open, they shut again. A dark cloth had been draped over me, or at least over my heart.

It has been over 10 years now, will these feelings ever go away?

No, I was not anywhere near Ground Zero; I was five miles north, in midtown Manhattan. People who were there know feelings of a different sort – memories that must be more challenging than my own. It makes me wonder, why do I continue to feel so sad and overwhelmed?

Suddenly, Sunday’s first reading from Isaiah rises up in my heart:

Thus says the LORD:
Say to those whose hearts are frightened:
Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
with divine recompense
he comes to save you.

This past Sunday we were told to “be opened.” We were also told not to show partiality. Why does it seem that in so many ways, that we are more closed as a society and culture? And we are prone to such severe judgments of others.

One of the hallmarks of 9/11 was that everyone who was there set out to help everyone else. Without judgment or partiality. There are so many amazing stories of people helping one another.

Be strong, fear not!

Today, 11 years on, many are in a different place. We demonize the “other,” we do not welcome the stranger, we are at constant war, and it seems that fear has grown deep roots.

Be strong, fear not!

That tree has deep roots and continues to grow without fear, just as we are called to do the same by God. We are called by name by our God, who is loving us always. He has come to save us. That is something that is available to all of us, without partiality. We are ever invited into God’s love, asked to fear not and to love always.

Photos such as that one might always take me by surprise, but what I feel doesn’t not have to remain, it, like a cloud, can pass, allowing the light of the Son to come into my heart. Into all of our hearts.

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