Homily for January 19, 2020

Across the street from where the World Trade Center in New York was, stands historic St. Paul’s Chapel. Completed in 1776, St. Paul’s is the oldest public building in continuous use in Manhattan – George Washington worshipped in the church following his inauguration as the nation’s first President.

Miraculously, the small church survived the collapse of the towers on 9/11 – some believe that a large sycamore tree in the graveyard that was uprooted in the blast shielded the small church with its branches and leaves.

The church immediately became a godsend of respite and refreshment for thousands of police, firefighters and rescue workers at Ground Zero. Two huge charcoal grills were set up on the portico where parishioners grilled hamburgers around the clock for workers; a large sign welcomed rescue workers to come and eat, rest and pray. St. Paul’s clergy and congregation coordinated volunteers and donations of food from local restaurants to provide hundreds of hungry, tired, dirty and often stressed-out rescue workers with everything from coffee and meals to eye drops and clean clothing, and a place to catch a little sleep.

Three days after the attack, the day that President Bush designated as a national day of prayer, the rector of St. Paul’s asked engineers if they could somehow get into St. Paul’s bell tower to ring the bells. Despite the devastation, two engineers managed to crawl into the wooden tower and, taking an iron rod, beat the bell by hand twelve times. The firefighters and volunteers heard the bell, removed their hats and helmets and paused.

In telling the story to the congregation the following Sunday, the rector said, “Now, God willing, we hope to [ring the bell at St. Paul’s] at 12 noon every day as long as we exist, remembering to announce to the world: ‘God reigns.’”

In opening their doors to the rescue and recovery workers at the site of the World Trade Center devastation, the St. Paul’s congregation took up the cry of the Baptizer: Behold, the Lamb of God. Behold, God is in our midst

Every one of us – of every profession, age, and group, possessing every talent, skill, and ability – have been called, as John the Baptist was called, to declare to our contemporaries that Christ, the Lamb of God, has come. John the Baptist declared his witness in preaching and baptizing at the Jordan River; our witness can be declared in less vocal but no less effective vehicles: in our unfailing compassion for others, in our uncompromising moral and ethical convictions, in our everyday sense of joy and purpose. May all of our actions and attitudes proclaim to all the world that God reigns in our midst.+