Remembering 9/11 and Judging Our Response

Last updated on: May 9, 2013 at 6:20 am by Faithful Democrats

Remembering 9/11 and Judging Our Response 2013-05-09T06:20:13-06:00 Faithful Democrats

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When Jesus said, "Do this in
remembrance of me," he was calling us to selflessness like his, to

creativity like his, and to love like his.

September 11 is a day of remembrance that
evokes a sense of utter empathy for the suffering of individuals and families,
a natural outrage toward the perpetrators, and a wide spectrum of feelings
toward our government's response on our behalf these past five years.
President Bush responded to our grief by waging two wars, doubling expenditures
on our military, and significantly sharpening public perceptions of the danger
of the modern world. Remembrance of 9/11 has been the rallying cry for war,
high end tax breaks, and the election of conservatives.

But the word "remembrance"
means something very special to Catholics. At each Mass the priest repeats, not
once but twice, Jesus' essential words, "Do this in remembrance of
me." He was speaking specifically about body broken, and blood spilled,
for the well-being of others. Contrast his words with new reports suggesting
that a minimum of 62,000 people have been killed by both sides directly as a
result of "the war on terror," and probably closer to an upper
estimate of 180,000. Refugees are now estimated at 4.5 million people. The US
Congress has approved $437 billion in funding to fight this global war — money
that might have been used to develop new energy technology to end dependence on
Mideast oil, eliminate global poverty, or provide
health security for all Americans. Is all this death and displacement what
Jesus had in mind, when he commanded us, "Do this in remembrance of me?"

On the domestic front in the United States
, life has taken a significant turn for the
worse on several fronts. Three recent polls by the Pew
Research Center, Peter D. Hart Research, and Lake Research Partners found
evidence of deep pessimism among American workers about the likelihood that
their wages would keep up with inflation or that their children would do better
economically than had they. The Pew poll found that 69% of workers said they
suffered more job stress than a decade ago, 62% felt less job security, and 59%
said Americans had to work harder just to stay even. The economic response of
some in Congress has been to aggressively pursue extension of tax cuts for America's wealthiest, with a devotion to the idea of trickle
down economics that will "lift all boats." Is this what Jesus
meant, when he said, "Do this in remembrance of me?"

Violent crime in the United States
has increased sharply this past year,
according to new FBI statistics showing the murder rate up almost 5% over 2004.
Robberies and assaults have also risen around the country. Meeting in August,
mayors and police officials from around the country cited the escalating number
of weapons on the streets and looser firearms laws as the principal reasons for
the new surge in violence. But no fewer than five bills are currently under
consideration in Congress to weaken existing gun laws, all being aggressively
pushed by the gun lobby and conservative lawmakers who otherwise promote
themselves as advocates of "family values." Is weakening our gun
laws, and contributing to increased violent crime what Jesus sought when he
said, "Do this in remembrance of me?"

As Catholics, we understand that Jesus set
an example for us, indeed one which is virtually impossible to achieve — he
allowed himself to be tortured to death in defense of those on earth who have
no voice. He identified strictly with the victims of the world, and he
responded solely with love. "Do this in remembrance of me," he
said. Now as we gather to console one another about what we've been
through over the past five years as a nation, will we continue to fool
ourselves into thinking that more violence can end the current violence? That a
greater disparity of wealth in the United States can create a more widespread sense of economic security?
That more guns will make anyone safer on our streets?

When Jesus said, "Do this in
remembrance of me," he was calling us to selflessness like his, to
creativity like his, and to love like his. Catholics and people of true faith
will increasingly see that we can only make progress in our injured world if we
seek the kind of self-sacrificing remembrance to which Jesus himself called us,
when before long the tenth
anniversary of September 11 comes around.

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