A Word from John 11

Twenty-five years ago this morning, I was sitting on the campus of Northern Virginia Community College in Fairfax, Virginia, just a few miles from Washington, DC. I was a attending a meeting of student leaders at the school, when a young woman came in and whispered to a friend. That student immediately got up and ran from the room - because, I learned later, her father worked at the Pentagon. And so began my experience of the tragedy of 9-11.

I'm pretty sure that many of you also remember where you were and what you were doing when the news of that tragedy struck. And amid all the fear, and anger, and sorrow, and uncertainty of that morning; I think a lot of us struggled to understand: How could something like this happen? Like Martha in today's word from John 11, we might have found ourselves saying, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother (my sister, my fellow citizen, all those innocent people) wouldn't have died." (11:21)

But just like Jesus spoke to Martha all those years ago, he continues to speak to us. And he still says, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (11:25-26)

Of course, to look at our world 25 years after 9-11, it's a little hard to tell if we do believe this. Don't get me wrong; we believe in Jesus. And we look to him to give comfort on this somber day of remembrance. But it's not always clear that we've learned how live by believing in him, which requires obeying him and walking in his way.

So today, I pray that we'll remember. And even more I pray that we'll believe and live like those who trust that Jesus and Jesus alone is the resurrection and the life.

May his Spirit continue to give us healing and lead us into hope. Amen.