Remember. Reflect. Pray.
“If you descend into somebody else’s private hell and stand there with them, it ceases to be hell.” – Fr. Mychal Judge, T.O.R., NYFD Chaplain.
May 11, 1933 – Sept. 11, 2001It’s been 24 years since Sept. 11, when many lives were taken at the hands of evil.
Continue to honor those beloved souls, their families and friends, first responders, good Samaritans, and peace officers as we reflect on that horrific day.
First Responder for God
One special soul we lost that day was Fr. Mychal Judge, TOR, as he was serving alongside first responders at the World Trade Center.
An excerpt of the eulogy given by Fr. Michael Duffy at the friar’s funeral gives us a glimpse of his character:
“When he was talking with you, you were the only person on the face of the earth. And he loved people and that showed and that makes all the difference. You can serve people but unless you love them, it’s not really ministry. In fact, a description that St. Bonaventure wrote of St. Francis once, I think is very apt for Michael: St. Bonaventure said that St. Francis had a bent for compassion. Certainly, Mychal Judge did.
“The other thing about Mychal Judge is he loved to be where the action was. If he heard a fire engine or a police car, any news, he’d be off. He loved to be where there was a crisis, so he could insert God in what was going on. That was his way of doing things.
I remember once I came back to the friary and the secretary told me, “There’s a hostage situation in Carlstadt and Mychal Judge is up there.” I got in the car and drove there: A man on the second floor with a gun pointed to his wife’s head and the baby in her arms. He threatened to kill her. There were several people around, lights, policemen and a fire truck. And where was Mychal Judge? Up on the ladder in his habit, on the top of the ladder, talking to the man through the window of the second floor….
“So, he was hanging on the ladder with one hand. He wasn’t very dexterous, anyway. His head was bobbing like, “Well, you know, John, maybe we can work this out. This really isn’t the way to do it. Why don’t you come downstairs, and we’ll have a cup of coffee and talk this thing over?”
I thought, “He’s going to fall off the ladder. There’s going to be gunplay.” Not one ounce of fear did he show. He was telling him, “You know, you’re a good man, John. You don’t need to do this.” I don’t know what happened, but he put the gun down and the wife and the baby’s lives were saved….
“Another aspect, a lesson that I learned from him, his way of life, is his simplicity. He lived simply. He didn’t have many clothes. They were always pressed, of course, and clean, but he didn’t have much. No clutter in his very simple room.
“He would say to me once in a while, “Michael Duffy” –– he always called me by my full name –– “Michael Duffy, you know what I need?” And I would get excited because it was hard to buy him a present.
I said, “No, what?”
“You know what I really need?”
“No, what Mike?”
“Absolutely nothing. I don’t need a thing in the world. I am the happiest man on the face of the earth.” And then he would go on for ten minutes, telling me how blessed he felt. “I have beautiful sisters. I have nieces and nephews. I have my health. I’m a Franciscan priest. I love my work. I love my ministry.” And he would go on, and always conclude by looking up to heaven and saying, “Why am I so blessed? I don’t deserve it. Why am I so blessed?” But that’s how he felt all his life.”
Let us not grow numb to the horrific event that changed our world on so many levels, Sept. 11, 2001
The prayer he carried with him:
“Lord, take me where You want me to go; Let me meet who You want me to meet. Tell me what You want me to say. And keep me out of Your way.”
St. Joseph, Terror of Demons, pray for us!
