Lessons from 9/11

(Edited from original post September 12, 2021)

Yesterday, I read a number of posts of the phone transcript from Todd Beamer on Flight 93 from September 11, 2001.

Todd Beamer’s story will forever touch me - evoke the most primal, raw emotions of grief and gratitude. Grief - that such a fine young man left this world so soon. Gratitude - that such men are sent into a world with so much darkness and selfishness - sent into the kingdom for such a time as this - to show us what living is for.

It will forever touch me that seeing nothing but death as a choice, this man chose to use his death to save others. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

I’ve always seen the Christ-like parallel in Todd Beamer’s choice, because even for me, it’s kind of hard to miss. But yesterday, reading the entire transcript again, the words right before the gritty, courageous words, “Let’s roll,” I caught something new.

“I will fear no evil, for thou art with me….. [Psalms 23]

“Todd: (softer) God help me…Jesus help me…”

Suddenly, in that last quiet part of a desperate prayer, I was reminded of another quiet, desperate prayer:

“And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (Matthew 26:39)

In those last words of Todd Beamer, I felt that reluctance a person would feel prior to the hardest thing he is asked to do in this life, being uttered right alongside the prayer asking for the strength to do it. Right beside the plea for the strength, is the plea of a frightened child: Father - please don’t make me do this. But if I must - please don’t let me shrink.

And suddenly, I realized that that prayer is the prayer of every single good person I know. Every single person I know well enough to talk about Real with - is more than a little unsettled about what lies ahead as the world darkens - and brightens - simultaneously.

How brilliant that the apostle John compares waiting for the Savior’s return to childbirth. I remember in the weeks leading up to my children’s births, not knowing what to expect, I went through periodic waves of the exact same prayer of a brave but frightened child: Father - please don’t make me do this. But if I must - please don’t let me shrink.

Waiting for a baby to be born, or the King to return, is a bit grim in the final hours. The sense that much, much more is going to be required of us than we may currently possess, is an overwhelming feeling - whether you’re 8 months pregnant, about to take down a plane hijacked by evil men, or simply a committed disciple determined to emulate the Son of Man in His love for all of God’s children. However that may look in your corner of His kingdom.

Every committed disciple I know is grappling with how to love each other when the powers of darkness seek to turn each other into Other. The most divisive, dangerous, and deadly word we can use for another child of God - a brother or sister - is Other. Divisiveness is the true contagion - highly transmissible if emotion is given sway over principles of love, unity, agency, compassion, forgiveness, and forbearance.

As I read Todd Beamer’s prayer before he got up off his knees and went to the work of his heroic death, I wept afresh - just like every time I read his story - but this time, with new insight. Todd Beamer is all of us, knowing that lots of ugly lies ahead, but knowing something is expected of us to combat the ugliness. Love. Beauty for ashes.

God… help us. Jesus… help us.

Then… Let’s roll.