The Oxcart

U.S.A. - September 11, 2001 – a date marked in each heart and mind as the day that awakened America and placed every citizen on the front lines. When the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center (WTC) collapsed, our hearts and minds took a “hit.” Our innocence has been challenged. Our hearts swell. We are disgusted with violent and superficial media-marketing programs and advertising -- violence on every level. We are “on the line.”

Americans draw the line of good and bad differently. This hour in time is very confusing. We are free to pursue happiness, to say and print what we believe but where do we draw the line? A high moral character ensures unity and order, but a twist in honor is obvious when, in the name of their “God,” terrorists hit America with an evil act because they view this nation as evil. How does that reason-out even to a ten-year-old? Who broke down the innate good, the moral conscience of men?

DIGNITY
Terrorists spend lives, claiming their purpose is worth the cost. Americans are afraid yet many people knew the day would come when America would take a turn as victim. Hard working citizens, however, did expect to be safe -- not having declared war on anyone. Why didn’t our watchman-on-the-wall spot the enemy? Who IS the enemy? Who is protecting us? What now?

Innocence is an ideal whereas humanity is fallen and corrupt. Freedom is wondrous AND Mankind is free to be wondrous, yet being free doesn’t guarantee innocence. Free-America is lucky but not perfect. Some nations consider America evil and in some ways, we are but Mankind around the globe is both fallen in nature (Original Sin), and wondrous (Salvation through Jesus Christ). Now, Americans know they too are vulnerable.

HOW NOT TO PERISH: Violence violates humankind – that’s not news. America has a new page in the history books as we join other nations that look like a war zone. In the Book of Luke, Jesus gives us something to think about: ¹At that very time there were some present who told him (Jesus) about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. ²He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? ³No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. ⁴Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? ⁵No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”

AWAKE: With an awakening comes maturity. The loss of life opens the eyes and ears of our hearts and minds. No nation deserves attacks from terrorists, so, in that light, we are innocent, yet lining up with God’s Word in our lives is another matter. We have a long way to go as faithful and obedient Christians. We spend a lifetime getting it right, not learning from our ancestors yet we shall prevail against those who attack us only because our God prevails against those who attack His People – and freedom. Freedom is a God-given gift. We learn how to handle it!

LIFE IS A PERSONAL WAR
Life is worth fighting for! Those who died in the WTC Twin Towers are strangers to most of us, yet these fallen “soldiers” have become family. This costly unity is making America stronger AND making freedom precious AND the LORD is with us. ON AGAIN, OFF AGAIN: It is good to be here, but it is not the mountaintop experience with our Transfigured Lord that Peter, James and John witnessed (Mark 9: 2-8) yet we live with everlasting hope in our hearts and faith in our minds, knowing God is in charge, yet like children, wanting our way, we play too close to the fire. We know all too well the depth of anxiety, preferring our ways, anyway. We need our Father God. Alone, without Him, we will not win; we will not be safe or truly happy.

Is this war bigger than our soldiers? Each citizen is a warrior. We “battle’ to protect freedom, liberty and justice-for-all by opposing the enemy who threatens the family, the poor, freedom, our Constitution. However, most of “US” were wounded in heart and mind before the devastating “hit” on the Twin Towers! Can we heal the frontlines? If we are with HIM, letting Him take charge (Matt 12: 30).

In our wars, the Lord goes before us and is our rear guard (Isaiah 52: 12) because the battle belongs to Him (1 Sam 14: 47). We make a big difference when we speak TRUTH, “The quiet words of the wise are better heeded than the shout of a ruler of fools” (Ecclesiastes 9: 17). One person (a good one or a bad one) can make big things happen: a fly that dies in the perfumer’s ointment spoils it (Ecclesiastes 9:18a.). What good or bad are we saying to one another? Speak forth the Word of God!

FEAR: God has not given us a cowardly spirit of fear, but rather one that makes us strong, loving, and wise (2 Timothy 1: 7). What should we do now? At Jesus’ first miracle, Mother Mary said, “Do whatever He tell you.” That requires trust, obedience, humble fear and respect for the voice of God that resounds in our hearts and mind. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge whereas fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1: 7). What does Our Lord tell us to do? We check our hearts where He speaks.

Trauma scares us but life and death rest in God’s Hands – even if we hold back on Him. In every situation, He saves us in spite of ourselves, even when we are slumbering. We are asked to be faith-ful, to read Sacred Scripture, to find God’s heart and His Order – then act. We know what to do.

Jesus says “Get up! Do not be afraid” (Matthew 17: 1-8); “I am with you always.” His Protection isn’t to make us comfortable, but to make us capable to stand as Christian soldiers, bold in His Ways and confident in our assignment to be holy, to evangelize, to give, forgive and defend our Faith. We must know the LORD personally, to know His heart in this matter.

AMERICANS
It is clean up time. Some Americans have given the ultimate sacrifice, but as the dust clears, we find casual sloppy choices in entertainment, worthless pastime activities, manipulative laws and lawmak-ers, over-abundant possessions. We find senseless arguments within neighborhoods, committees and family disputes. Should we fear our mistakes and oversights? Face them, repent, and be holy!

The view of ground zero is heart breaking. It causes the head to bow in sorrow, grief, anger, confusion, bitterness AND forgiveness in defense. Christians juggle extremes. We are blessed through our pain. It comes from being fallen yet saved. A sleeping giant has awakened, and it is "US". We see the littleness in our huge selfish determinations, a secular humanistic noisy and busy lifestyle – yet we are somehow innocent. America is still growing-up.

Unfortunately, few enjoy the Christian principle, and the Christians are surprised to look into the mirror to find an enemy. What is reflected in road rage? In the rudeness that comes easy at the checkout counter? In TV programs where people kill people and we call it entertainment? We pay to sit in a comfortable theater to get the full effects of violence, pre-marital sex, murder, rape and de-ception (the list is long), THEN, sometimes find humor in it all. We laugh! We hand out awards, calling these our “best pictures”! Are we celebrating our accomplishments?

After September 11, 2001, Hollywood delayed the opening of a violent movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger because of the theme of violence. Radical American politicians in post-presidential-election-Florida-blues became silent, losing their short-minded agendas. The October 2001 Emmy Awards event promised to show less skin, glamorous fashion and expensive jewelry to avoid dis-playing excessive celebration, then finally postponed the event. America displays its sensitive side? OR in this time of tragedy, are we more aware of our foolish liberal-devil-may-care sinful side?

TERROR: America breeds its own terrorists. What could be worse than to go into a family geneal-ogy and manipulate it? We attack innocent life daily: casually, by the millions, in abortion mills, we rip life out of a mother’s womb – legally – as a right. Both mother and child are terrorized.

Brave New York firemen and policemen did more on September 11 to save lives than comfortable, high-paid doctors and their assistants in abortion mills and hospitals. Medical “profes-sionals” won’t consider trading their lives for their victims, proven by their killing schedules – under the bright lights – for big bucks!

Ill-minded terrorists brought death to the WTC Twin Towers but we citizens with offices and titles routinely kill innocent people. Abortion-killers uproot millions of family trees. The terrorist and the American voter equally manipulate human beginnings and endings, calling it preferable. Dare we think we are “free”? America is involved in it’s own unholy war.

If multitudes can die at the hand of only a few, let us awaken to protect the future hopes in our hearts and faith in our minds – at least for the children. Let us repent and take flight out of bond-age! “Get up! Do not be afraid.” Stop what kills.

In the family of Abraham, “we were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, but the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. ²²The LORD displayed before our eyes great and awesome signs and wonders against Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his household. ²³He brought us out from there in order to bring us in, to give us the land that He promised on oath to our ancestors. ²⁴Then the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our lasting good, so as to keep us alive, as is now the case. ²⁵If we diligently observe this entire commandment before the LORD our God, as He has commanded us, we will be in the right”. (Deuteronomy 6: 21b-25).

Over the centuries, nothing has changed. History repeats itself. We have been lost and then found – it is our Christian legacy -- two thousands years old. It’s our legacy of learning and knowing better AND being SAVED! We ought to be quite capable of excellence by now. Are we?

THE ISSUE OF VENGENCE
“Vengeance is mine; I will repay,” says the LORD God. “For the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly, For the LORD will vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants, when He sees that their power is gone, and there is none remaining, bond and free. (Deuteronomy 32: 35, 36; Hebrew 10: 30) God saves His People but NEVER HAS AMERICA BEEN SO VULNERABLE because we are wrong while being wronged. When we pull out of our wonder, shock and grief, will we find America fully with God or slightly against Him? God wants our whole heart, mind, spirit and strength – in holiness.

Prophet Nahum says, “A jealous and avenging God is the LORD, an avenger is the LORD and angry; The LORD brings vengeance on His adversaries, and lays up wrath for His enemies; the LORD is slow to anger, yet great in power, and the LORD never leaves the guilty unpunished” (Nahum 1: 2, 3). When God’s righteousness prevails, His people win. May America study its wounds and make corrections inside its boundaries and institutions, in hearts and minds! May we follow-through with worthy justice, liberty and freedom for all! It’s a tall order from a fallen race.

To be truly honest with reality, we acknowledge the devil and all his works, and we renounced him in our baptismal vows AND in each annual Easter Vigil. Some deny that a devil exists but that would indicate there is no hell. Sacred Scripture is full of warnings about the devil, the abyss AND that he has been overcome – it is the purpose of the Word of God from the begin-ning. AND, God prefers that we avoid the Adam/Eve syndrome and be “sold” on His Word, even when the unknown is scary or a mystery. Instead, are we ‘selling-out” on what’s perfect?

We respectfully fear God because He is held to His Word and cannot lie or alter His Command-ments, promises, blessings or curses. Consequences are real. We fear not the condemned devil, the father of lies, he who is powerless to make promises, he who is marked for the lake of fire. To fear evil would be an insult to God’s Work of Salvation, freely provided for us. Sweet Jesus!

UNDERSTANDING THE FEAR FACTOR
i.e. In the beginning, Adam and Eve were comfortable and naïve in the Garden of Eden AND not afraid of the satan-snake who offered another view of what God “really” said (Genesis 3). Once out of Paradise, surely they feared what was foreign to them in the wilderness. They learned the hard way but Christians have received many directives. i.e. Those fleeing from Egypt were not afraid of the desert, only impatient and uncomfortable in their flight. They became fearful when the time came to step-out in faith, to do what God said at the edge of the Promised Land – TAKE THE LAND. They claimed the giants were too big. They would not trust God’s Word. They feared the “giants” instead of God, so God returned them to the desert to die (only the children of the tribes, Joshua and Caleb arrived in the Promised Land; see Deuteronomy 1: 36). There are consequences when we fear in error.

Fear is a “principle.” Eternity-bound, our discerning-fear is a prerequisite for safety and survival – mentally, spiritually and in body. Sinning comes easy because we don’t understand perfection. We actually balk at what is perfect—too boring or unexpected. Just as Adam and Eve preferred satisfying their senses and disregarding what God promised (“you will surely die”), we do the same, easily and routinely. Fear God and join Him. Therein, we are feared by evil. We are afraid when we aren’t in charge, yet the most important events in our lives are always bigger than we are. America is preoccupied with selfish preferences, being comfortable and na-ïve to evil manipulation, intimidation, controlling and dominating others via division, dissention and disorder, then becomes frightened when tragedy hits home. Be, instead, like little children!

CONCLUSION
We are free to select JUST two of the following choices in our days and nights:
1. Perfection, All-Good (God’s Will, Way, Word and Wonder – Absolute)
2. Fallen but saved (Mankind with freewill – credible but faulty, needing God)
3. Evil (the sly devil with rebellion, pride and destruction – out to rob, kill and destroy us)

ABSOLUTE FACT: God’s loving protective Arm is our only refuge (Isaiah 52: 10). When we are fearful and faithful, we obey. AND, God protects. We get through the good times, the difficult times and unexpected challenges in safety.

God’s Absolute TRUTH line is drawn in the sand, and each Christian must determine their posi-tion thereon. If we think we draw the line to suit our own designs and understanding, we live outside His protection. God’s Truth line is straight and narrow and we must learn how to balance on it. God provides the Way.

INHERITANCE: We have rights, obligations and assignments, responsibilities, standards, ex-pectations and principles, prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance, love, faith and hope. And contrition. We pick a level of operation as soldiers surviving in time AND the LORD God grants perfect freedom, but we are never safe. (Holy Padre Pio was beat up in the privacy of his own room.) Life is full of unexpected trials but life is never without the LORD God. When God’s People aren’t awake enough to value Him and walk boldly between safety and danger, He awak-ens them. God’s Ways aren’t our ways. He graciously provides what we need, to get us through time as He perfects us. We are asked to trust Him, to have Faith.

STAY OR STRAY: We can be faithful to the LORD God by denouncing the fickle worldly ways, the changing values and spiritual counterfeits OR not! God is faithful whereas evil in-trudes, invades and interrupts with dissension, disease, destruction, despair, disorder AND death. Both sides (God with All-good vs. the devil with evil) enter our hearts and mind through invitation. We inherit a holy legacy but some might reject that Order. Eternity in Heaven is our Inheritance, but hell is also a choice. It is a tough reality.

“Happy the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commands” (Psalm 112: 1)! We, the people, allow God’s view, or turn away. We pick a side to honor. Division is certain because good and evil cannot blend: