Our parish invited a speaker to tell her story on 9/11/07. Her story is one of horror. Her story is one of pain. Her story is one of God's love. And her story is one of forgiveness. Complete forgiveness.
You see, she is a survivor of the Rwandan genocide in 1994. Her name is Immaculee Ilibagiza and she found God in a powerful way in the midst of her nightmare.
If you haven't read her book - Left to Tell - you really should. It's hard to put into words what she went through and how compelling her message of forgiveness and love is. Hiding out in a 3x4 bathroom - with 7 or 8 other women - for 91 days. Christ truly came to her in more ways than one, as did the devil. I read her book a few months ago and it was so very hard to put down...captivating to the very last page.
And if you ask me - it is no coincidence that she came to speak on 9-11. You know what they say... Coincidence is just when God wants to remain anonymous.
So my reflection of 9-11: Hate is the absense of Love. If we hate there's no room for love. We all need to love...a bit more. It starts in the home and spreads to our communities...our nation...our world. Without love there can be no hope. Without love there can be no forgiveness. Hate is what causes wars. Point blank. If we would all learn to stop being so self absorbed and truly love and truly forgive - well, then, wouldn't that rub off on this world. God's world.
1 comment:
I read Immaculee's book in about 48 hours. Gripping. Powerful. So very Catholic. I kick myself that I didn't go to see her speak when she was at the Eucharistic Convention, but my husband was out of town and I was daunted to battle traffic and parking with my infant.
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