It’s been 20 years since that day. Twenty years since the horror shocked our lives and changed nearly everything about us. The way we travel, the sense of security we felt, even our views of people. Our “way of life”. For many, it was not only “way of life”, it was literally “life”. It all changed mid-morning on September 11, 2001.
We are often called to “remember”. I find that quite an interesting admonition - as though we could possibly forget. The images of that day and the things that ensued in its wake are forever engraved in our memories. I think we all remember.
If you are over the age of 25, you remember. You remember where you were when it happened. You remember how you felt. You remember what it was like in the weeks following. 9/11. It changed us forever. You remember.
But perhaps there is more to “remember” than merely “recalling”. Perhaps “remember” carries more weight than “not forgetting”. When I need to know deeper meanings, I turn to God’s Word. What He says on any subject far outweighs my thoughts and opinions. What does He say about “remembering”?
The words we translate as “remember” from both the Old and the New Testaments are quite similar in meaning. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word used for “remember” is “zakar” - to call to mind so as to affect present thought, affection, action. The Greek words in the New Testament are nearly identical- “amamnesis” - remembrance, to commemorate so as to prompt action and “memnesko”- to recall or be mindful with purpose of action, either reward or punishment. The point is well taken - God calls us to “remember” not merely to recall but more importantly to effect change in our behavior.
Memorials throughout Scripture are God’s way of reminding us of His faithfulness, His power, and His gracious love towards us. The rainbow in Genesis, the stone altars for the Israelites, and more contemporarily, the observing of the Lord’s Supper are calls to remember what He has done and to trust Him to keep His promises for the future.
The truth of Jeremiah 31:34, that He will not “remember” our sins, is powerful as we understand this means not that He can’t recall what we’ve done but that He will not punish us as we deserve. The warning from Luke to “remember Lot’s wife” urges us to be mindful that our actions carry consequences. The admonition in Galatians to “remember the poor” is clearly not urging us to think about them but to take action because of what we see, to help them.
In light of this understanding of what the Bible means by “remember”, what could be the significance of our “remembering” 9/11? The memorials built to honor those who lost their lives not only underscore the significance of the event but especially the value of those lives. The purpose of plaques and monuments and observances are to highlight the importance of those honored - reminding us that they each are worthy not to be forgotten. We reflect, even if briefly, to acknowledge that those lives matter.
When we “remember 9/11”, we do recall the pain and the horror but even more so, the compassion and selflessness and heroism we witnessed. Those acts that comforted and helped and lifted our souls, those stand bravely in triumph against the hate that wanted to destroy us.
When we “remember 9/11”, we remember the unity we felt - the lemonade stands to raise money, the random acts of kindness towards others, the concern for the losses, respect and appreciation for courage and selflessness. We experienced the reminder of the brevity and uncertainty of life, the importance of connection, the determination to rebuild our lives, the renewed commitment to God. May we also remember that.
So, what is the exhortation to find in “remember 9/11”? Not just recalling the terror and the loss. Not just the fear and the grief. Not only, even, the courage and kindness and unity that poured out in the months following that fateful day. As we “remember 9/11”, let us observe the Biblical meaning of the word. Let us be moved to meaningful changes in our affections and our actions. Let us honor God - and those who suffered on that day - with our behavior. May our “remembrance” propel us to consider the uncertainty of tomorrow and therefore make things right with God…and our neighbor. May our “remembrance” change our perspective of what is important and what won’t matter in the end. May our “remembrance” spark a gratitude for the countless blessings we enjoy. And may that gratitude birth a generosity to bless others!
So, yes, let’s “remember 9/11”. But let’s do far more than recall. Let us act according to those recollections, with changed behavior. Let us bless.