Remembrance to Resolve

Sept. 11, now Patriot Day, will always be remembered. Yes, we can recall where we were at the first hearing of the news. We will always have the tragic pictures captured on video, of the planes hitting the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. We have the many stories of heroism; the "Let's Roll!" from the passengers of the plane that crashed into the field, avoiding hitting a building full of people. We recall the very brave men and women who entered a burning building to rescue, only to become victims themselves. For the last year The New York Times has been running brief biographies of all the victims of Sept. 11. Remembering is very important.

Today the services of remembering at Tufts University are many. President Bacow has asked there to be a moment of silence at noon. The School of Veterinary Medicine will have a 7:30 a.m. event in Grafton, the School of Medicine and Dental School in Boston will have a combined event at 12:15 p.m. for the entire Boston campus. Here at the Medford campus there will be a 5 p.m. service in front of Ballou Hall on the green. We gather as a University family to remember and pray for those who died. We come together as a University family to reflect on where we are as a country. We come together as a University family to support one another. All family gatherings look to the past in order to find hope for the future. We as a University family do the same. But there should also be a way to make the leap from remembering to resolve.

Resolve. We all know the basic meaning of the word: to reach a firm decision. But there is also a definition from the world of choral singing; resolve means to make progress from dissonance to consonance. We as a nation are still trying to move from remembering to resolve. Will this be done by war or by diplomacy? How as a University family can we move from remembering to resolve?

Each of us does have the power to move from remembering to resolve. As a University family can we resolve to see the sacredness and dignity of human life? Can we resolve to see the need for tolerance and acceptance of diversity? Can we resolve to see the actions of a few extremists do not represent a whole nation or an entire religion? Can we resolve to work for a better world where disagreements are acknowledged but an individual's personhood is still respected? Can we resolve to recognize that HATE debases, while LOVE embraces?

The office of University Chaplain resolves to be a voice for the freedom and dignity of all.

Let us, as a University family, resolve to be peace and light, not just on this Hill, but for the world. Please know that I, and all of the associate chaplains are here to serve you