A Culture of Remembrance

In case some of you are not regular readers of Fr Stephen's blog
Glory to God for All Things, I would like to bring his latest post
A Culture of Remembrance to your attention. And if you don't care to follow up and read his entire post, I want to share with you at least his prefacing remarks. They are good. You all know where I stand on the issue of the so-called Ground Zero mosque. There's so much more at stake here than we realise...

America is torn in a debate at present over the building of a Mosque at Ground Zero, the former location of the Twin Towers in New York, destroyed by an act of terrorism. At the same time, an Orthodox Church that was crushed by the falling towers has been ignored by New York authorities. It is a painful time, full of the anger and recriminations that seem to accompany all political discourse in America today.

Many nations have suffered many things – most of which overwhelm the Twin Towers in their numbers and historical significance. As a planet we can be a “culture of remembrance.” The pain of our memories is something of a false memory, in that it will not last forever. Only memory that is grounded in the End of things – memory that is eschatological – has true significance. There are forces that are seeking to re-write history at this very moment. There are false believers who imagine that acts of violence can shape the outcome of history.

This is not so. The outcome of history took place in the Resurrection of Christ. Regardless of whatever madness we may imagine year by year, the Resurrected Christ is at the center of all things, He is the Alpha and Omega. He cannot be seen with eyes of hatred and anger. That vision is normatively given to the pure in heart.

For those who want to know, I do not favor a mosque at Ground Zero, and I do favor that the state keep its promises and rebuild the demolished Orthodox Church that stood until September 11, 2001. But triumph will only come if our memory is of the only meaning given to us as human beings. It is to behold fallen towers and to say, “Christ is risen!” I offer some reflections on the “culture of remembrance” written shortly after my return from pilgrimage to the Holy Land. [Continue reading here...]

+++ Fr Stephen

Christ is risen from the dead,
Trampling down death by death,
And on those in the tombs
Bestowing life!

Χριστος ανεστη εκ νεκρων,
θανατω θανατον πατησας,
και τοις εν τοις μνημασι,
ζωην χαρισαμενος!

المسيح قام من بين الأموات
و وطئ الموت بالموت
و وهب الحياة
للذين في القبور