Some 90 years ago, my ancestors boarded a boat in Italy and began a very long journey to a foreign land. Their travels took them to a place called Ellis Island - the former doorway or gateway to the United States of America. All of us have similar stories. Some came by boat and today many come into the many airports across America. Wether we are first or third generation, or our families have been here for many years, we came to this great nation with similar goals. America is that promised land. It is the land of milk and honey; the land of opportunity, freedom and security that all people long for. Today we all suffer because of the great national tragedy that we experienced on Tuesday. Many tears have been shed and so many memories go through our minds. We have the thoughts like, “What if my family, friends or I were on one of those airplanes or in the World Trade Center?” Several thousands of lives have been lost. And many, many thousands and indeed all of our lives have been affected by this great loss of lives. There are some who have relatives or friends, others who have work associates. Indeed, all of us will know someone who is a victim, or someone who knows a victim of these frightening events. All Americans and the world have been traumatized. In today’s Gospel, we read about people who are searching for something they have lost. There is the man who leaves his flock of sheep to look for that one sheep who has strayed from the flock. There is the woman who lost one coin and lights a lamp to go in search for it. There is the father who has lost his son and awaits the day of his return. This Gospel is showing us the value of every individual human life;that each individual is sacred and irreplaceable. Jesus has come to save each and every one of us. And like in today’s Gospel, we are people who have lost a lot. We consider the many men, women and children who lost their lives in the airplanes, the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the countless number of people who have lost their lives in the rescue and recovery attempts. We have all lost something within us. The peace and tranquility that was ours was stolen within the matter of seconds. America has been changed and will never be the same. Today’s Liturgy gives us a call. This call is threefold. Americans must unite. The first part of our call is the call to prayer. St. Paul writes in the second reading for today’s Liturgy, “I am grateful to Him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus, Our Lord.” Outside of prayer there is no solution, no means, no way for America to recover from this horrible tragedy. Our second call is to support our President. President George W. Bush has many difficult decisions ahead and a great responsibility. He has a responsibility to our nation and to all of the world. Whatever direction our President takes, we as a nation, we as a people, must stand behind him with our prayer and with our support. If we fail to stand behind the man who leads our nation, we are bound to fall. And finally, we are called to support our fellow Americans. There are many people who have been directly affected and their lives will never be the same. We need to be there for those who are mourning a loss, for the rescue and recovery teams who will be plagued by the trauma of what they have personally seen. Through our unity, our nation will be restored to something more beautiful and powerful than She has ever been. We have already witnessed this unity. Americans are more united than they have been since the Second World War. The compassion, love and concern of Americans is being seen by the thousands of volunteers who have assisted with the recovery work in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. We are all Americans, and we must not let others divide us. Today’s Gospel also presents us with the message of mercy. We must be people of mercy, tolerance and love. There are people who might not look like us. People of Palestinian or Arabic origin are already being persecuted by fellow Americans. They may have come from nations that are now our enemies. They may have come from countries that assisted in Tuesday’s attack on America. However, they are Americans like you and I, and they are also suffering like you and I. Those who are old enough to remember World War II, will call to mind the harsh treatment of the Japanese - Americans. Many were fired from their jobs. They were treated with distrust by those who were once their friends. Italian - Americans we also treated in a similar way. My grandmother told me stories of how they visited Italians who were housed in refugee camps in Worcester, MA. That cannot happen today! There is so much more that one can say. And I just hope that these words may have touched us all. All that I can say now is, Thank God that I am an American! Thank God that we are free! Jesus, in Your mercy, protect our nation and our people from all who would seek to harm us. God bless you and God bless America! Fr. Jay Finelli © 2001, Fr. Jay A. Finelli, may not be used without written permission! |
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