REV. DANIEL ROHAN Anniversary of 9/11 attacks recalls unity, faith

It is hard to believe that three years have already passed since that clear, bright morning of Sept. 11 turned into the darkest day in American history.
There are terrible moments of that fateful day and the weeks that followed that will forever be etched in our minds. Who could ever forget the image of the smoke-shrouded Twin Towers collapsing as readily as a child's set of building blocks? Or the sight of firefighters and other rescue workers laboring night and day, hoping against all odds of finding survivors in that massive pile of rubble? Nor will we ever forget the nearly 3,000 innocent victims of the senseless acts of terrorism that struck our nation so unexpectedly and caught us all so unprepared. The sight of their grieving families at every 9/11 memorial service always will keep their memory alive.
In those initial days, when no one was quite sure whether or not this was just the beginning of a long period of sustained attacks upon American soil, there was a distinct renewal of patriotism and a return to God exhibited by an overwhelming majority of this country's citizens. Flags waved proudly from our front porches. Strains of "God Bless America" echoed from every public gathering.
More voices were raised in prayer as faithful of all denominations flocked to their respective houses of worship -- some seeking answer, others searching for comfort, and everyone hoping that God, indeed, would extend his protective hand over all of us. Yes, America was truly united in spirit and in purpose.
In retrospect
Now we are three years removed from those turbulent times, and sadly, many of us have forgotten those noble feelings that we shared collectively. Unfortunately, the good will and religious fervor that this tragedy fostered among us have long been discarded. Perhaps this was best brought to light by the controversy that swirled at ground zero in what was referred to as the "footprints" of the World Trade Center. When the towers collapsed three years ago, one of the most stirring and uplifting memories we have of the horrific scene is a vision of two steel beams that came together in the shape of a cross. Amid the smoldering stack of steel, this "cross" became a sign and a symbol of hope to the entire country. It caused an anxious, fearful nation to believe that we would, somehow, be able to recover and rebuild our lives in the aftermath of this stunning devastation. We were "down," but we certainly weren't "out."
When the last truckload of debris was cleared from the WTC site, the "cross" remained a prominent part of a makeshift memorial there. Later, a movement was under way to have it removed. A group was claiming that it was "offensive" and an "insult" to the 9/11 victims who were not Christians, pointing out that many of them were Jews, Muslims and undoubtedly even atheists. No one was disputing that statement -- it is undeniably true.
Some commonality
It must be noted, however, that not one dissenting voice was raised in opposition to this "cross" three years ago. No one was seemingly offended or insulted by it then. Why? Because these two beams that somehow were joined together in a particular shape, in their simplicity, no matter what their religious persuasion or lack thereof, in many ways helped to unite and bring out the best in all of us, no matter what our individual beliefs were. The fact that they were debating the purpose and worth of this "cross" only serves to underscore that much of what we shared three years ago -- both good and bad -- long has been forgotten and rendered meaningless.
Perhaps it is only human nature that God is found more readily in the darkness of a valley than on the brightest mountaintop and that adversity brings us closer than prosperity. Still, we can only pray that a day will dawn when the values to which we are attracted in times of peril will become a permanent part of the fiber of this nation.
XThe Rev. Mr. Daniel Rohan is the pastor at St. Mark Orthodox Church, Liberty.