Hatred And The Beauty of the 9-11 Cross

I was listening to the Catholic Channel this morning- A Conversation with the Archbishop.  They did a poignant memorial for 9-11, during which, mention of the "9-11 cross" came up.  The priest interviewed told the story of being one of the first to see it in the weeks after it was found.  Out of curiosity, I Googled the cross and came up with the St. Peter 9-11 Cross website that gave the story of the man who found the cross.  What also came up in the search, surprised me.  There was a headline that stated that the American Atheists were challenging the display of the 9-11 Cross on grounds that it was unfair/prejudicial against other religions.  Seriously.

Let's discuss this. And let's not only remember that this cross was not forged out of some reclaimed beams following the recovery effort, but was literally found as is, during the search for victims.  We'll try to remember too, that this is meant only as a memorial, not a shrine.  This is not suddenly, Our Lady of the Americas shrine, or some other devotion to our faith.  This is a cross that brought great consolation and peace to the citizens of New York as they put the pieces of their life back together in the days following September 11, 2001.  (Or Sept. 13, when the cross was found.)  This is a cross that was found in the wreckage and determined to be a symbol of the people who perished in the terrorist attacks, and of those who survived and forged ahead to create a new identity.

This historical artifact is a beautiful testament to God's unfailing presence in our lives. It represents that much, and more.  Dr. Edward Sri, in A Biblical Walk Through the Mass,  stated that "...the cross, we are invoking God's protection for our lives.  In the sign of the cross, we ask Him to protect us from all harm and evil."  While Sri used this to explain the deep symbolism in the "sign of the cross", I feel that the 9-11 cross  itself (or any physical cross for that matter) also contains this rich meaning.  Likely, this extends to the serenity that it brought to those who were most deeply effected in 9-11.

It also was a symbol of strength and comfort for the New Yorkers who trudged on post-9-11.  Regardless of their religious affiliation, this cross came to represent the solidarity of the citizens in the aftermath.  If God can be found in the wreckage, then peace can come out of the experience.  We will prevail and we will be stronger on the other side.  That is the message of the 9-11 cross.  And I cannot help but wonder if the ultimate reason that this group is protesting lies not in the fact that it is "unfair to non-Christians" but more that fact that deep-down, they recognize the vast power of The Cross and fear its effects.