After a prayer walk across the Brooklyn Bridge that turned very cold and wet, we went to Saint Paul’s Cathedral. In case you do not know, Saint Paul’s served thousands of people during the events that came with September 11th. They served firefighters, bloody and exhausted; they served victims, traumatized and hurt; and they served anyone else in need of food, a cot to rest on, a massage, or any medical attention. Saint Paul’s was seen as a refuge and a safe place; they offered hope to people in a great time of need. As we walked around the cathedral and looked at the different memorials and reminders of what took place on September 11th and the few months that followed, I came across this quote (a firefighter said this to a reporter about Saint Paul’s):
“When I come in that door, I’m covered with blood, sometimes, and they hug me. They love me, they take care of me, they treat me as a real human being. And then they feed me, and they massage me, and they give me adjustments. These are my people. This is my place. This is where I come to be with God.”
Isn’t that what the church is supposed to be? A safe place. A refuge for the hurting. A place where people are treated as humans no matter what they walk in carrying. A place where people are loved, accepted, and taken care of. I love that people taking care of this man led him to God. What began with people ended with God. How beautiful that we, the church, can be that for people - a way to the almighty and loving God. What an opportunity. What a responsibility.
-Holly Aman
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