Learning from the 9/11 attacks

By lifesjourneyblog | September 11, 2016 |
9/11, peace, terror, anxiety, cope

World Trade Center “cross” 9/11/2001

Today we remember all those who lost their lives, and those families who lost loved ones in an attack on innocent lives. I recall that Tuesday morning in 2001 as if it were yesterday. My question now is the same as it was 15 years ago; how do I make sense from a senseless act?

I often write about the need for us to change our perspective, so I found this quote by Henri Nouwen, a renown spiritual author, quite enlightening:

“Many people live with the unconscious or conscious expectation that eventually things will get better; wars, hunger, poverty, oppression, and exploitation will vanish; and all people will live in harmony. Their lives and work are motivated by that expectation. When this does not happen in their lifetimes, they are often disillusioned and experience themselves as failures. But Jesus doesn’t support such an optimistic outlook. He foresees not only the destruction of his beloved city Jerusalem but also a world full of cruelty, violence, and conflict. For Jesus there is no happy ending in this world. The challenge of Jesus is not to solve all the world’s problems before the end of time but to remain faithful at any cost.”

This is not to say that we give up; but rather that we re-frame our expectations toward realistic goals such as peace within ourselves, our families, our communities.  We are asked to accept and trust in God.  A trust not always easy to come by in light of the realities of the suffering in our world. How can I trust in God through all that is happening around me?

In a book entitled “Franciscan Voices on 9/11“, one of the contributors writes:

“In the scriptures, God does not say, ‘Do not fear, I will take away all the pain and struggle.’ Rather, we hear, ‘You have no need to fear, since I am with you’ and together we will make it.”

These quotes give me hope and encouragement. The wisdom of these writers encourage and challenge me to stop living in fear and sadness, rather, to take action to make a difference in our lives. We therefore need to challenge ourselves to find opportunities in our families and local community wherein we can bring about peace.

I am inspired by the then chaplain of the NYC Fire Department, Fr. Mychal Judge, OFM, who arrived at the Twin mychaljudgeTowers shortly after they were struck by airplanes, to minister to the needs of the first responders. Fr. Mychal lost his life when the ceiling of the lobby collapsed upon him, moments before the collapse of the Tower itself. A prayer, attributed to Fr. Mychal, sums up why he did what he did; risking his life for others, and the lesson I take away from that fateful day:

“Lord, take me where You want me to go,
let me meet who You want me to meet,
tell me what You want me to say,
and keep me out of Your way.“

 For more “tips” on coping with the hardships of the world, check out my article “7 Ways To Face The Horrors Of The World With Hope AND Realism“.

{loadmodule mod_custom,continue the conversation here or on social media}

Posted in Chris’ Personal Reflections and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rest Stop (Easter) … is this real?

By lifesjourneyblog | March 27, 2016 |
resurrection, Jesus, Easter, hope, life, change, perspective

He is risen! He is not in the tomb! Can this be true? Could Jesus rise from the dead!? This morning is the beginning of a new chapter for the apostles and for those who put faith in the person of Jesus.  The person whom they thought was dead is no longer in the tomb! What does this all mean?!

Can you even imagine the feelings of the apostles?  Just a week ago the twelve apostles, with Jesus, triumphantly entered Jerusalem.  All was right with the world!  What could go wrong?  Then, on Thursday, one of their own, Judas, hands Jesus over to the Romans who then kill him the next day!  But just a few days ago, scared and confused, the apostles are in hiding.  What do we do when we are scared?  Can you understand why the apostles fled and hid?  I’m not trying to justify their actions, but trying to understand them.

Sunday morning, while the apostles are in hiding, some of the women followers excitedly enter their hiding spot screaming that the body of Jesus is missing from the tomb!  Wait, that’s not all; they saw an angel who told them Jesus was alive!  What?!

In a matter of days the apostles go from excitement to fear, to despair, to questioning their beliefs, to confusion to cautious optimism.  Wow! Later, when Jesus appears to the apostles He does not reprimand them; rather, His first words are “Peace”.

What does this mean for us?  In times of our lack of faith, when we feel shame about how we treat Jesus, we need to know that He is always there to welcome us back with a word; “peace”.  We no longer need to hide in fear.  We need to do what the apostles did; they left their hiding place and preached the risen Jesus to the world!  Nothing short of a resurrection, with proof, could have taken away their fear. The apostles, without fear, now publicly preached that Jesus was the son of God risen from the dead.  And for me, the only explanation for their new-found courage; they actually saw the risen Jesus.

Not too long ago the singing group “Fun” released their song “Carry On“.  The song is one of perseverance, and while not written as a religious song, I feel it very well grasps the emotions of the apostles as they came to grips of what the Resurrection meant for them.  Here is the final verse and chorus of the song:

Hold the phone Show me how No one’s ever gonna stop us now

Cause we are We are shining stars We are invincible We are who we are On our darkest day When we’re miles away So we’ll come We will find our way home

If you’re lost and alone Or you’re sinking like a stone Carry on May your past be the sound Of your feet upon the ground Carry on

Easter, in it’s spiritual sense, is not meant to be celebrated on one day, but to be lived every day!  The sense of hope, forgiveness and new life are to be proclaimed and lived daily!  No matter what life brings us, we are now meant to “carry on” knowing and feeling the excitement of the risen Jesus!

In our lives, what can we do to feel this excitement?  How do we learn to “carry on”?  Focus your attention and mind on the present moment; live the moment.  The apostles felt their feelings in the moment, not knowing what was to come next.  Live your moments; embrace them, feel them, experience them.  Do the next right thing and then live that next moment.  Before you know it, you will “find your way home” and “carry on.”

… continue the conversation here or on social media …

{loadposition blogsocial}

Posted in Finding Inner Peace and tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rest Stop (Holy Saturday) … grief, hope, faith

By lifesjourneyblog | March 26, 2016 |
Holy Saturday, Easter, Jesus, hope inspiration, love, peace, serenity

Holy Saturday, the day after the death of Jesus, Christians await, in hope and in faith, for God to show us a sign that Jesus is truly His son. When we think of the emotions of the followers of Jesus, so sure that He was the savior, to experience His death, their heartbreak and confusion must’ve been unbearable! Were they duped? How were they so wrong to think that Jesus was God? Yet, because of everything that they experienced while with Jesus, there still exists a sense of hope in their hearts. They don’t yet understand, and they are questioning, but they haven’t yet fully rejected the belief that Jesus is the son of God.

Taken from the Christian prayer-book “The Liturgy of the Hours”, here is an ancient sermon attributed to Easter yet prayed on Holy Saturday.  What does this sermon says to you in your life’s journey:

“Something strange is happening – there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear. He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.” Christ answered him: “And with your spirit.” He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated. For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth. For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden. See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree. I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you. Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God. The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.”

… continue the conversation here or on social media …

{loadposition blogsocial}

Posted in Finding Inner Peace and tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,