Matthew 18:21-35

	There are moments in history that should have never happened, and September 11th, 
2001, is one of those moments. On September 11, 2001, 2,997 lives were lost. 2,606 at the World Trade Center -including the hijackers-, 87 in flight 11 of AA, 60 in flight 175 of UA, 125 at the Pentagon, 59 in flight 77 of AA, and 40 in flight 93 of UA at Shanksville, PA.

	Twenty-one years later, while we are here, children are still missing and mourning their parents, parents are still mourning their children, wives are still mourning their husbands and husbands are still mourning their wives. Our hearts and prayers are still with them. And twenty-one years later people are still asking the same question, why? and there is not an answer that can explain it; there is not an answer that can diminish our pain and shock.  There is not answer for events like September 11, 2001, and others similar events. Therefore, the only option left for us is to continue “lifting up our eyes to the mountains— and ask, where does our help come from? And realize that our help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
 
I remember that this is exactly what our country did, look for answers from the one who made heavens and earth. Churches were the place to be the following Sunday, people were not only trying to reach God, but they were also trying to reach to each other; supporting each other; they were helping each other. 
  
	My family and I were living in Hauppauge, L.I., New York at that time, and I remember that almost in every town there was a place where people got together to pray; we had candlelight vigils in churches and on the streets and people were bringing coffee and doughnuts. Strangers spent the night singing, praying, and talking. Churches were opened during the whole day for people to come in and pray at any time. Flags and signs of supports for the victims’ families were display almost in every house… but time passed by, and churches began to look empty again, neighbors started ignoring neighbors once again, flags and signs were put away one by one while people tried to continue with their lives, but nothing was the same again. Our lives were marked forever. Our country has not been the same since that tragic Tuesday morning on September 11, 2001.

	This Sunday marks exactly twenty-one years of the terrorist attack, and we continue remembering those whose lives were taken, those who gave their lives helping others because as country we promised never to forget, and I believe we should keep our promise. We should commit ourselves to continue remembering the same way that God committed himself with Noah after the tragic event of the flood. God made a covenant and that covenant included to remember. Genesis 9:11-15, “Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.”

	God promised that when he sees the rainbow, he will remember the flood yes, but not as an instrument of destruction, he will remember the flood for not happening again because he is a God who loves life. And that should also be the reason for our remembering. We should commit ourselves to remember 9/11 and those who died to work toward peace and defend life as God committed himself with Noah and all living creatures. The rainbow is a symbol of life, peace and hope between God and men.

	For us the symbol of life, peace and hope is Jesus our Savior who in today’s gospel as many firefighters, police officers and volunteers did in September 11 and the following days is risking his own life to rescue the lost. The shepherd is going to the mountains looking for the lost sheep and rescued it from the perils and brought it back home because he loves life. Genesis 9:14 and 15 says, “Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind.” Whenever I bring clouds, means, whenever there is a threat of flood, a threat of dangers over the earth, I will remember my covenant of life and will change the threat of destruction into life.  

	God our Creator saw the earth and he saw evil, and darkness and he sent his only son not to condemn the world, but to save it. He came as the Good Shepherd to look for us and save us. Therefore, whenever we see evil around us, let us remember Jesus our shepherd, he is our symbol of life, peace and hope and let us commit ourselves not to allow another 9/11 happen in God’s world. 

	Whenever we find in the Bible that God remembers, he does it as an instrument of blessing and for the good of humanity. Exodus 2:24 says, “God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” And because he remembered his covenant, he sent Moses to lead Israel from slavery to the promised land. In Genesis, God remembered Noah and he made a covenant to life; in Exodus, God remembered, and he committed himself to freedom. Our remembering of 9/11 should be the same, a commitment to life, harmony, and hope. Let us pray	
Dear God, we know that it is not those who say, 'Lord, Lord!' who will enter the kingdom of God, but those who do God's will. (Matthew 7:21) 

Loving God, we remember before you today those whose lives were lost in the catastrophic events of September 11, 2001, those whom we love but no longer see.  We give thanks to you for the selfless courage of those brave souls who ran into burning buildings and who labored in the rubble; may their courage be to us a witness of what is possible when we are guided by love and dedication to our fellow human beings.

We pray today for the continued healing of all those suffering emotional and physical scars.  May we move from suffering to hope, from brokenness to wholeness, from anxiety to courage, from death to life, from fear to love, and from despair to hope.

Guide our feet into the way of peace.  Inspire us with hope in the gifts of peace and harmony. May we receive these gifts, so that we might become instruments of peace and life in this world, knowing all people as equally loved and lovingly created children of God. Amen.