I can’t write todays date without thinking of what happened on this date in 2001. As a nation, we stood in that moment in collective grief. In 2012 my wife and I visited the 9/11 memorial. It was eerily silent as the few thousand folks that were there showed uniform respect for the hallowed ground we were traversing. The footprints of the two towers were now deep holes with cascading water on all four sides.
The water gently flowing for me represented the tears of the grief of nation, baptizing this ground making it a sacred space. Ground Zero is now a place set apart because of that moment 16 years ago. Lives were lost and broken. People carry the wounds of that day.
Showing respect can bring a level of healing. Recognizing someone’s very real pain and sorrow can trigger a release. That ground on the south end of Manhattan where the World Trade Centers once stood is scarred. Yet, scars cause us to remember. They do not have to hinder us. I have had a few stitches in my life. Some from silly things I did as a child. I can rub my fingers over those scars and remember the injury and the pain but they are not painful today.
Canterbury is a place where that kind of healing can take place in the lives of others. Through prayer and wisdom Canterbury has been set apart in the midst of a bustling suburb as a holy landscape that gives space to be still, pray, listen, reflect and more. Our partners know this and this is central to why they support us. We aren’t simply a retreat center but more so we are a life giving presence in a world that sees so much death. Canterbury is a place of peace in a world torn by strife. We are a place of decision and discovery. Come visit this treasure and taste of this mission that impacts lives every single day.
Reflect: Pause for a moment today, give thanks for the brave souls who when the building were coming apart charged in to save lives. Say a prayer for peace in this war torn, strife filled world.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.