On the tenth anniversary of 9-11, Fr. James Martin recalled all he had seen that day:
The streets surrounding the morgue are covered by two inches of soot. More paper blows around; I notice an office memo with its edges charred brown. Twisted girders covered with grime must be stepped over. All I can think of is a banality. But, though banal, it is true: this is like hell—full of immense sadness and terror and pathos.
And yet, here is grace. There are hundreds of rescue workers: firefighters and police officers and army personnel and construction workers and truck drivers and counselors and doctors and nurses. Almost all are in motion. They are purposeful, efficient, hard-working.
Some of the the firefighters and police officers sit by a staging area near the doorway of the temporary morgue, resting. Though most are New Yorkers, a surprising number are not, having traveled great distances (from Massachusetts, says one; from Florida, says another) to help. We talk about what they have seen, how they feel, what they think. In the midst of this hell, they are inspiring to speak with, and say simple things, made profound to me by their situation: “Just doing my job, Father.” “One day at a time.” “Doing the best I can, Father.” I cannot resist the urge to tell them what great work they are doing.
Suddenly I realize that I am standing beside grace. Here are men and women, some of whom tell me “I lost a buddy in there,” who are going about their business—a business that includes the possibility of dying. “Greater love has no person,” said Jesus, “than the one who lays down his life for another.” And this is what that looks like. Here it is.
--Fr. James Martin, World Trade Center Journal: Part One
Image source: https://www.ksat.com/features/2020/09/10/20-years-later-these-911-photos-remain-just-as-haunting/
Quotation source & complete article
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