The World Trade Center

To commemorate the twelve years that have passed since September 11, 2001

What Remains

American Airlines heavily fueled flight number 11 en route from Boston to Los Angeles struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m. on Tuesday September 11, 2001. A second aircraft, United flight 175, also bound for Los Angeles crashed into the South Tower at 9:03 a.m. The catastrophic structural damage caused both towers to collapse within two hours, and thereby marked the last ordinary day for the world.

Oasis

Franciscan friar Father Mychal Judge, native New Yorker and chaplain to the New York City Fire Department arrived shortly after impact, and while thousands fled the burning buildings Father Mychal, who lived his life bound by the Franciscan motto “My God and My All” went inside. His was the first body to be released from ground zero. His death certificate was number one. When asked why Father Mychal was given this distinction, his devoted friend and colleague Father Michael Duffy answered, “Mychal’s goal and purpose in life was to bring the firemen to the point of death so they would be ready to meet their maker. Mychal Judge could not have ministered to them all. It was physically impossible – in this life.

The Stars Are Falling

In the next few weeks, we’re going to have name after name of people who are being brought out of that rubble. And Mychal Judge is going to be on the other side of death – to greet them, instead of send them there. And so, this morning we come to bury Myke Judge’s body, but not his spirit. We come to bury his voice, but not his message. We come to bury his hands, but not his good works. We come to bury his heart, but not his love. Never his love.”

Standing Up

Construction of the Twin Towers took six years and 400 million dollars. A terrorist attack reduced the massive structures to rubble in a matter of hours, and left 2,753 people dead.