Answered Prayer

By Claire Henline
Op/Ed

The thing I remember most about September 11th is the smell. Standing out in front of the Pentagon watching it burn a noxious mix of jet fuel, horse hair insulation, and flesh overpowered my senses. Even thinking about it today a psychosomatic burning sensation creeps into my chest. I could not even see the building through the thick black smoke and in the remaining area of clear blue sky silver glitter floated to the earth. Only it was not glitter, but the outer shell of what had once been a 757 jet liner. Somewhere to my right a woman began sobbing and in front of me soldiers stood with fists so tightly clenched in rage they were drained of blood. Sirens wailed from every possible direction in lamentation of a never before seen or conceived emergency.

Do you remember your most ardent prayer ever lifted to the Lord? Mine came not on but as a result of 9/11. So many aspects of that day and the days following were filled with a numbness that must be grief's chilling of the soul just as a winter's storm is to the body. Sometimes all I could muster was the request that we be prayed for because I was blank to fill in specifics. I remember though reading about Victim 0001 at the World Trade Center. Father Mychal Judge. I wondered what had he prayed that day? Finally I came across a testimony that stated Father Mychal was overheard praying to Our Lord to "end this". It may sound like a simple prayer, but it was one I understood. My prayer did not have to be philosophical, or inspiring, or unique, it need only have faith that I know it will be heard. In that moment when tragedy makes time stand still we can often revert to the child within all of us desperately yelling, "Stop it!" And we know just as we knew then, someone will hear.

This past May, at the age of only 59, my father (a non-smoker) was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer metastised to the brain and spine. There were no symptoms, no warnings, and only statistics jumping off of brochure pages and a possible future in which I might not have a father to walk me down the aisle. 85% dead within 9 months. My father is a soldier, and I myself am headed for Officer Candidate School. This would be a different battlefield we would face. I would be strong for him, but in those first few days as reality set in I would find that moment alone when just like on 9/11 my chest burned again and I did not know if I could carry this cross. In the dark of my bedroom with eyes swollen with tears I would pray my most ardent prayer to Our Lord. "End this!" I cried over and over just like a child, "Take this away!"

I know my father has received hundreds of prayers and every one has made a difference. It has lifted his spirits and helped him to fight. We asked for something doctors told us not to expect. Today my dad is in remission. It is an answered prayer.

Contact

Claire Henline
VA, US
Claire Henline - Author,

Email

pentagonbrat@yahoo.com

Keywords

Prayer, tragedy, faith, 9/11, cancer

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