On this day, September 11, our hearts turn back to that morning in 2001 when the world seemed to stop. Nearly 3,000 men, women, and children lost their lives in an act of unspeakable violence. Families were shattered, first responders gave their lives, and a nation was changed forever. For Catholics, this day is not only about remembering history, it is about praying for the dead, comforting the living, and recommitting ourselves to be instruments of peace in a world so often torn apart by hatred.
As we reflect on 9/11, we remember that every person lost was a child of God. In those moments of terror, Christ was present, with the frightened office worker praying the Our Father, with the firefighter climbing the stairs, with the chaplains who ran toward danger to offer absolution and last rites. Their courage and sacrifice are a powerful reminder of Jesus’ words: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).
Our Catholic faith calls us to pray for the repose of the souls of the departed. Today, we commend them to the mercy of God, trusting in the promise of the Resurrection. We pray, too, for those who still bear invisible wounds, the families who carry grief, the survivors who carry trauma, and the children who grew up never knowing their loved ones.
As Catholics, we must also look inward. In the face of evil, we are reminded to forgive, as Christ forgave from the Cross, and to be peacemakers in our communities. 9/11 was a day of tragedy, but it was also a day of great charity and unity. Strangers helped strangers. Churches were filled. America prayed together. Let us not allow that spirit to fade.
Today, light a candle. Attend Mass. Pray the Rosary for the souls of the departed. Offer a Divine Mercy Chaplet for the conversion of hearts around the world. And let us continue to live so that hatred never has the last word, because Christ has conquered death.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
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