Father Gilles' Archive Pages: September 2002

In the "New Covenant" made by our Creator God with humanity, as reported in Jeremiah 31:31-34, every human being can know God from within - because the Holy Spirit is revealing our Creator to all who are willing to know the Lord and trust in Him. We can still help each other along the way; so may you be pleased to find here a variety of helps to the life of faith in God through Jesus Christ. G.S.

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September 11, 2001 – Reflections

Peace Card for Wednesday

Today is September 11th. It is an important day not to remember because of some petty terrorists who were filled with hatred – but a day to remember that the world stopped for a moment and embraced one another. A day of tears – but also a day of love. Where sin abounds grace abounds all the more.

The year I entered the monastery we had a big volcano eruption in our state. The whole mountain (St. Helen's) blew up and our world was one gray expanse of nothingness. Every flower, twig and blade of grass was coated in gray. The sky was gray; even the water was covered with a film of gray. When I opened the door in the morning to let in my black cat, he was gray. It felt like the end of the world had come and left.

Yet now, 21 years later – though we still find ash when the wind blows – that eruption produced bigger and better crops than we had ever had. Washington State never had much of a grape crop, but now we produce some of the best wines in the world, because with the ash the grapes sprung into wonderful growth. I think this will also happen to our nation in the years to come. It won't be overnight – but in a few years we will see the gifts that God has released through these days of darkness. That is the power of our God – and with faith we can look to the future with hope and confidence. Satan does his worst – but it is never a final victory. He didn't win on Calvary, and he hasn't won on September 11th!

Blessings of Peace,

Sister Patricia and all the Sisters

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Reflection September 11 – A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture from the Liturgy of the Word: 1 Corinthians 7:25-31; Psalm 45:11-17; Luke 6:20-26

How significant on this first anniversary of the infamous terrorist attack on America that the first reading from 1st Thessalonians should remind us that the world as we know it is passing away! What a traumatic object lesson God has allowed to wake us all up to the fact that our lives hang from a frail thread. We know not the day or the hour!

On a sundial in an old English garden are engraved the words: "It is later than you think!" But, thank God, there is still time – time to return to the basics of the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, the Great Commandment of love of God and love of neighbor. Jesus has told us that fear is useless – what is needed is Hope. May we all observe this anniversary day in the spirit of Hope, a new humility, a new commitment, throwing ourselves in faith on a merciful God who still gives us time!

Msgr. Paul Whitmore (smartins@twcny.rr.com)

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I truly believe this is how we should live each day that we are blessed with. Just wanted to share this with the many people who have brought happiness to my life. Have a wonderful day. This hasn't been broken since September 11; please keep it going.... this poem has been kept alive and moving since that time. In memory of all those who perished this morning; the passengers and the pilot on the United Air and AA flights, the workers in the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, and all the innocent bystanders. Our prayers go out to the friends and families of the deceased...

IF I KNEW