9/11: We will never forget… but what will we remember?

It seems to me that dealing with weakness and vulnerability are essential to maturing.  Sometimes the pain of life is so great, we can only deal with it through anger, rage, and vengeance.  What do we remember now, these sixteen years later?

I remember the revelation of the shame of our national impotence.  We could not stave off attacks by terrorists that took so many lives.  All our military might, all the ‘intelligence’ data we gathered, all the promises “It won’t happen here…” all charade.

Did invading Iraq heal the fear & pain?  Did sending more and more troops to Afghanistan salve our national soul?  Did killing Osama bin Laden make up for the dead that day sixteen years ago?  Did attempts to halt immigration from certain Muslim countries make us safer?  Does the threat of “fire and fury” against North Korea assuage our fears?

Seems to me that we have learned to posture rather than explore our God-given creatureliness, to flex military muscle instead of seek wisdom in our essential weakness.

Indeed, we will never forget.  But, shall we not remember the shame of being exposed as vulnerable and impotent on that day – and learn to heal from it?

God bless us all.