A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart … a good person produces good from the treasury of the inner self. (Luke 6:43)
Taking up one’s cross and following Jesus can be a challenging command sometimes – especially when it comes to forgiving from the heart the one who has aggrieved you or in extraordinary circumstances. The attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon happened 20 years ago today. We still carry the memory of that awful day, and we continue to remember in our prayers the victims of the attack and their families and loved ones who continue to mourn their great loss. We remember the passengers and crews of the aircrafts destroyed in the attack as well as the victims on the ground. We remember especially the brave first responders who ran toward danger rather than away, many of whom gave away their health and lives to save others. And we pray for the terrorists as well, because we believe in the redemptive power of prayer and because hatred and vengeance have no place in Christian hearts. May all of humanity be redeemed by the cross of Christ.
With prayerful best wishes,
Fr. John Mahoney