Each year, the anniversary of 9/11 provides an opportunity to reflect on the evil of terrorism and to pray for peace.
Of all the compelling narratives surrounding that tragic day, one that sticks out for me is the story of Flight 93. Hijackers flew two planes into the World Trade Center and one into the Pentagon, killing nearly 3,000 people.
A fourth hijacked plane — United Flight 93 — did not reach its intended target, which is now believed to have been the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. Through phone calls, passengers and crew became aware of the other planes and the gravity of their situation.
After taking a vote, they agreed on a plan to try to gain control of the cockpit. Understanding the grim possibilities, they waited to act until they were flying over sparsely inhabited farmland. Their struggle, which was partially captured by in-flight voice recorders, ended with a crash in a field near Shanksville, Penn. All on board died, but no one on the ground was harmed.
The heroism of Flight 93 is so extraordinary to me because it was so unexpected. Much is made of the bravery of first responders on 9/11, and rightly so. Firefighters, police, military personnel and other men and women in uniform wake up each day knowing that they may face great, even mortal, danger. Most of us do not. But we must always, always be ready.
For the passengers and crew of Flight 93, their crucial moment was upon them in a flash. In unanticipated moments like these, character matters. Flight 93 is a reminder that we never know when or where we will be asked to be a hero on the spot, whether in small or large ways. The fate of a nation may not always be at stake, but occasionally we are seized by a sudden opportunity to choose compassion, exercise selflessness or courageously speak out.
I must observe one more remarkable thing about Flight 93: The passengers acted together. After assessing the situation and taking a vote (how American!), they executed their chosen plan as a team. This required both courageous leaders and dutiful followers. Each did their part, and each person’s fate was tied up with the others. It’s a lot to ask of a group of total strangers.
I am reminded of profound words I once heard in a homily: Being Catholic is not merely about getting to heaven; it’s about getting to heaven together.
A particular feature of our Catholic faith is its corporate nature: We are one Body of Christ, responsible for one another in our quest for holiness.
To choose goodness, then, requires both strength of character and cooperation with others. To have peace, we need heroism not just of a few but of many. To be heroes, we need to have the guts to act suddenly and without warning.
Let us pray for the courage to be such instruments of lasting peace in our communities and in the world.
