Saturday

Who remembers the days before a tragedy? I once met a gentleman who when he had hit rock-bottom in his life used to ask the question, “Why me?” But as he fought to get back on track and began to look back on the events in his life he began to ask the question, “Why not me?” A play (art imitating life) that depicts a tragic downfall of the main character, and often characterized by a series of events connected by dysfunctional relationships is called a tragedy. The tragic part is that the main character rarely sees the downfall or tragic event coming. All of the events leading up to the downfall are in place but they are either ignored, disregarded or go unrecognized. Only in hindsight when the events are pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle, does the tragic event force the remaining characters (and the audience) to perhaps rethink, re-establish or reconsider their lives. The truth of the matter is tragedies happen in real life, both in the physical (natural) world and in the world of emotions. Days, weeks, months or perhaps even years of circumstances occur before a devastating event takes us by surprise. It happens to all of us individually. It even happens to nations. From lost pension plans to suicide-murders, civil riots to massive bomb attacks we can’t help but ask the question “Why?” because we arrogantly never considered the possibility “Why not us?” Ten years after the 9-11 attacks we know a little more about the days, weeks, months leading up to one of this countries’ largest tragedies. Most of us don’t know what we were doing in the days before. But today let’s take some time to rethink, re-establish and reconsider what we’ve been doing in these days, weeks and years before tomorrow’s remembrance of the 9-11 attacks. While the event will always be a tragedy remembered, hopefully it will also be a tragedy never repeated. Lord in your mercy; hear our prayer.

Romans 12:8 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

Luke 21:34-36  Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap.

Ecclesiastes 9:1-12 For no one can anticipate the time of disaster. Like fish taken in a cruel net, and like birds caught in a snare, so mortals are snared at a time of calamity, when it suddenly falls upon them.