On Sundays in the midst of the muck and devastation, Catholic Mass is celebrated at Ground Zero, beneath an unusual icon. Discovered in the rubble, standing erect, rescue workers found a perfectly formed steel cross, and immediately rallied to it as a symbol of Hope. It stands at the front of the site in solemn defiance of all that is surrounding it. Many look upon it as a miracle.
That is ridiculous, of course. This can be no more an act of God than the '69 Mets. Both towers and the other destroyed structures had steel frames and doubtless thousands of such right-angle joints as might form what looks to us to be a cross.
But symbols, which are all man-made, can nonetheless be powerful. What is the Liberty Bell other than an old decrepit piece of junk, or the tattered flag of Fort McHenry that we spend millions to preserve, or that Lady in the Harbor? But does not each in turn stir something in the soul to awaken a patriot's heart?
For the Christian, the Cross is the ultimate symbol of triumph over Evil and Death. Secularly, when used by the Red Cross it becomes a symbol of Hope and Healing. Our long tradition of burying the dead under crosses goes beyond the principles of the Christian religion. True, there have been times when the cross has been usurped for ignoble causes, but here at the Gates of Hell there can be no doubt of its purpose.
God will not be silenced by the small minded and the insignificant. He will always provide His message of love and salvation over and above any of the noise such people can make.
All Honor and Glory are His, now and forever.