September 11, 2001 is a day that Americans will never forget

September 11, 2001 is a day that Americans will never forget.   It was a day of loss-- we lost people, security and we lost our innocence. We were attacked in the city that the rest of the world sees as the embodiment of America.  Innocent lives were lost that day.  

I remember it as if it was yesterday, not a cloud in the beautiful, blue sky. The images of the twin towers in New York smoking, on fire and then collapsing is forever ingrained in my memory.  It was a horrific event in the history of our nation.  While there was much evil that day, there was the one bright spot in the first responders and the life-saving acts of bravery that kept down the death toll. Yes, our police, firefighters and emergency personnel were the shining light of that dark day.  Like the Good Shepherd in today’s Gospel, they went into the burning buildings and looked for the lost and the helpless. Truly, they showed God’s love to the most needy and that is what we, as Christians, are called to do.  

9/11 was a warning to our nation, a symbol of what can happen if we aren’t vigilant, if we aren’t on guard. Our belief that we would always be safe in our homeland disappeared that day, but a newfound respect for the first responders was realized by many. 

Today (Sunday) we celebrate the Blue Mass at 11am.  We call it the Blue Mass because of the color of the first responders’ uniforms, which are typically blue.  We celebrate the job they do every day to keep us safe, to protect our property and do the difficult jobs not many want to do.  As Chaplain to the MBTA Transit Police, and brother to a police officer, I salute them and all the men and women in blue. As a priest, I pray for them this day and every day.  And as a citizen, I thank them from the bottom of my heart for being there when we need them most.  

Saint Michael the Archangel, pray for them!