Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Daily Thoughts - 09/11/2013

Daily Thoughts: “There is nothing that can replace the absence of someone dear to us, and one should not even attempt to do so. One must simply hold out and endure it. At first that sounds very hard, but at the same time it is also a great comfort. For to the extent the emptiness truly remains unfilled one remains connected to the other person through it. It is wrong to say that God fills the emptiness. God in no way fills it but much more leaves it precisely unfilled and thus helps us preserve -- even in pain -- the authentic relationship. Furthermore, the more beautiful and full the remembrances, the more difficult the separation. But gratitude transforms the torment of memory into silent joy. One bears what was lovely in the past not as a thorn but as a precious gift deep within, a hidden treasure of which one can always be certain.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

As Dietrich Bonhoeffer says above there is nothing that can be said or done that replaces the loss of someone dear to us. But hopefully Bonhoeffer’s words can help to give comfort to all who lost loved ones twelve years ago in Lower Manhattan, Washington, DC and Pennsylvania.

Perhaps, Bonhoeffer’s words can help all of us deal with what we as a city, a country and a world lost twelve years ago. May his words give us pause to be grateful for the silent joy that all who gave their life continue to give us. May those who lost their live continue to be a hidden treasure for all of us, a treasure that we can always count on.

“In normal life we hardly realize how much more we receive than we give, and life cannot be rich without such gratitude. It is so easy to overestimate the importance of our own achievements compared with what we owe to the help of others.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

To the people who gave their lives, to the families who gave their loved one we say thank you!

Daily Prayer:
God of all peace and conciliation,
For those who went into danger, we give thanks.
For those who remained behind with the infirm and injured, we give thanks.
For those who thought of others first, we give thanks.
For those who offered comfort to others, we give thanks.

For moments of unknown, grant us courage.
In times of fear, grant us courage.
When called upon to stand for the rights of others, grant us courage.
When others call for our destruction, grant us courage.

When the enemies of freedom lash out, bless us with your peace
When the darkness of hatred descends, bless us with your peace
When we feel the urge to trample and destroy, bless us with your peace
When we look to the future of your universe, bless us with your peace
Amen!
(Adapted from a prayer by Rabbi Matt Friedman)

Runner’s Thought: “I run because if I didn’t, I’d be sluggish and glum and spend too much time on the couch. I run to breathe the fresh air. I run to explore. I run to escape the ordinary. I run…to savor the trip along the way. Life becomes a little more vibrant, a little more intense. I like that.” (Dean Karnazes)

On this day when so many lost their lives some of whom were runners let us run to breathe fresh air. Let us run to explore. Let’s us run to experience more than the ordinary. Let us run to savor the trip along the way. Let us run to remember and in remembering make our run a prayer for peace. Let us run to bring God’s presence to the world!

Wednesday blessings to all! I would that you like me have spent the morning remembering that Tuesday twelve years ago and how it changed our lives. Perhaps you thought of where you were and what you felt as the tragic events of that day unfolded. Yet, here we are twelve years later still searching for peace!

My thoughts and prayers today go out to all affected by the events of that day especially to the children who lost mothers and fathers that day. Nothing can fill the void of their loss. May what remains unfilled always keep them connected to the gift of the person, the treasure they lost!

To all on the solemn blessings and peace and may you bring to those you love and the world the gift, the treasure that you are! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul

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