As many of you know, I live in an area that runs, for the most part, toeing the line of the Republican party, and when it strays, it errs toward being more conservative that the current way of being a Republican. So it struck me as odd, or maybe amazing, when in our lectionary group it was asked, "What would the world look like if on 9/12/2001 US Air Force planes began dropping humanitarian aid packages on Afghanistan rather than bombs?"
It is easy seven years and 1000 miles removed from on of the most horrific of days in American history to ponder this question; I realize that. I know that, even 2.5 hours away from all three crash sites, my world changed that day. I didn't lose anyone that I knew; other than, perhaps a naive innocence that to this day I long for.
Still, this thought continues to run through my head. What would it look like to forgive 77 or 70X7 times? How do we forgive this debt knowing how much God has forgiven of us? I am reminded of the event known in my hometown as Amish 9/11.
On Monday, October 2nd 2006 Charles Carl Roberts IV backed his pickup truck up to a one room school house in Nickel Mines, Lancaster County, with plans much more sinister than killing 6 children and then himself, but that is what ended up happening.
On Tuesday, October 3rd 2006, forgiveness had begun. Amish neighbors and community leaders visited the Roberts' family to comfort and forgive; they even attended Roberts' funeral.
As I remember the events of seven years ago, pray for the families who still mourn and the victims who still battle the scars of that day I can't help but wonder how many have forgiven, despite what our politicians tell us, and are ready to see America at large do the same?
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