Too often when one is touched violence, the advice is “Forgive and get beyond it.” Many people find that difficult — witness the road side shrines maintained years after an event took place. On a small road in Cobb County GA, near Sope Creek, there is attached to a tree a memorial that is refreshed each season. I don’t know who or what happened there, but on the winding road in the hilly area of a well-to-do neighborhood, a reasonable assumption is an auto accident.
The politicization of 9/11 and the WTC may have been inevitable — it was a political act to begin with in a very political area/arena. But surely our faith background should direct us to examine the long-term affects of violence on victims, their loved ones and society as a whole.
As Catholics we should understand ritual — its purpose and place. Have we ritualized listening to the victims, their loved ones and society as a whole on the effects of violence on them?
As Catholics we should understand symbol — its purpose and place. Do we see the symbolic damage to the fabric of society by violence? Have we pondered how to remediate the tears in the warp and woof of that fabric by ritual action?
On 9/11/2001 I was the Grand Knight of a Knights of Columbus council. On 9/11/2006 I was the Navigator of a Knights of Columbus 4th degree assembly. I had meeting of each shortly after the events. I found myself at a loss for words to connect with my brothers on how I felt on these occasions. I have found clergy and laymen alike shrink from talking about these issues.
But like those shrines, the wounds are still there. We may question NG’s motive for his proposal. But I for one think he is on to something that will not go away.
No comments:
Post a Comment