September 11, 2001 is a day that will be remembered by all who are old enough to have experienced the events of that day.  On the West Coast we woke up to an unthinkable, horrible scene that was being played over and over again by every news outlet.  Large airliners had been deliberately driven into the Twin Towers in New York and into the Pentagon building in Washington, D.C. and another had crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. We soon realized that this was not an accidental event but that we had suffered a brazen, well planned, terrorist attack that had struck in the very heart of our nation.  We had always thought that we were safe and secure in our own land but that morning I believe that we began to feel, perhaps for the first time, vulnerable and insecure.  After what we had witnessed happening in our own backyard, our world had changed and we were changed.  We had to put aside our distractions and petty affairs, things that had seemed important to us before September 11 had lost their sense of urgency.  We had to focus all of our efforts and find a way to regain our strength.  Soon people began to wear a button that stated simply, “United We Stand.”  I still have my button.

     “United We Stand.”  This simple statement reminds us of a simple truth – we are stronger when we stand together.  From the beginning of creation, God recognized that it was not good for us to be alone.  Alone we are weak and vulnerable.  United in a oneness of love and communion we are strong.  We are meant to help one another and serve one another in love.  When we stand together, united as one, we are unbreakable.  When we are united in the love of the Holy Spirit we truly are in the image of God. Jesus prayed to the Father, that his disciples would come to know the oneness of love in the Holy Spirit.  In John 17 we hear Jesus pray:  “Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are.” (Jn 17,11)  If we remain in the oneness of love with God in the Holy Spirit and dwell in that love with our brothers and sisters, then we will be strong.  As Paul says in Romans:  “If God is for us, who can be against us?…For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8,31.38f)  “United We Stand” and no one can defeat us, but divided we fall and no one is there to help us.  Our enemies know that if they can get to us when we are alone and separated from others, we will be at our weakest and our most vulnerable.  So the enemies strategy is always to divide and conquer.

     Jesus is absurdly accused by the scribes and Pharisees of his time of being in league with Satan and casting out demons in Satan’s name.  Jesus responds to them asking, “How can Satan drive out Satan?”  Satan can’t be divided against himself, for if he is then “that is the end of him.”  Jesus points out three areas in which we can experience division in our lives that could put an end to us.  He responds to his accusers:  “If a kingdom is divided against itself that kingdom cannot stand.”  The first area of division that can occur is in our nation.  If our nation does not stand together then we are open to the attacks of our enemies.  We should be concerned with the amount of division that is in our nation at this time.  We are very polarized and are constantly attacking one another.  If we continue with our bipartisan divisions we could be headed for trouble in the future.  The second area of division is in our families.  Jesus says, “And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.”  Too often there are divisions within our families that cause the breaking up of the family,  We cannot thrive in an atmosphere of tension and abuse in our own homes.  Our third area of divisions is within our own hearts.  Jesus says, “And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand.”  We can get caught up in our own interior tensions and internal conflicts.  We too often have a divided heart and can be our own worst enemy.

     The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of union and oneness that we so desperately need in these times.  Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to be our advocate, our helper and our friend.  We should always cooperate with the grace that is given by the Spirit to help us.  Satan is the divider who wants to divide our nation, our families and our own hearts.  Don’t fall prey to his lies and schemes.  “United We Stand,” in our nation, in our family and in our own interior being!  We are all united as one in the family of God:  “For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”  Let’s all strive to do his will.