Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?
We must pause today and remember 9/11/01 and the attack on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. Another passenger plane was supposed to destroy the White House but the passengers apparently revolted against the terrorist, and perished with them.
There was a moment of grief in America. Festive, secular ceremonies like NFL football games scheduled five days later were cancelled. (That had not happened following the Friday when President Kennedy was shot in 1963.) We had discovered as the new century began the virtue of grief. Church schedules were filled with evening programs for several days, and many of the slain were honored. Many nations, including those whose citizens were killed in NYC or the Pentagon, joined in expressing condolences to the United States. The attack seemed entirely unprovoked and undeserved,
It was nonetheless inevitable that the United States should interpret the incident as a flagrant act of war, and that we should respond in kind. The attack seemed to demand more than grief. It was, however, difficult to agree upon a nation or people to blame. The terrorists, as was eventually discovered, were mostly citizens of Saudi Arabia, an American ally and business partner. We could not attack them; we needed their oil. Osama bin Ladin was said to be encamped in Afghanistan. However, he proved illusive and one of the earliest military responses, conducted with cruise missals, destroyed empty tents and little else.
Having no other suitable candidate for blame, the US invaded Afghanistan and tried to to turn that "graveyard of empires" into a democratic state. The venture was doomed from the start as everyone knew, or should have known. Would we welcome aliens who, by way of introduction, destroy our buildings, homes, and infrastructure?
But we were committed to the long haul and one thing led to another. Twenty years later, many Americans could not remember why we went to Afghanistan in the first place. Perhaps they could not remember the reason because there was none. The vendetta had to play itself out regardless of the consequences or costs.
Violence has only wormed its way more deeply into our lives, and we have become hostile to the world and its peoples. We don't seem to care about being a city on a hill, or a beacon of freedom. ICE has made it clear that no one is welcome here unless they bring considerable wealth. We do not want the energy, creativity, and courage that immigrants have traditionally brought to America.
We despise the world for the splinters in their eyes, and deny the logs in our own.
It is not too late to grieve what we lost and what we have become. We cannot undo the past, but we can pray that the wrath of God which is so often depicted in the Bible, will not descend upon us.
We can grieve and do penance, for they are nearly the same thing.
