Each year, September 11 calls us to remember.
We remember the terrible loss of life, the fear and confusion, and the courage of so many ordinary people who heroically chose to put the lives of others before their own.
One of those people was Welles Crowther, now known by many as “the Man in the Red Bandana.”
On September 11, 2001, Welles was working on the 104th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center. As others desperately tried to escape, he did something remarkable: he went back up.
Wearing a red bandana over his mouth and nose, he helped guide people to safety. Survivors later recalled the young man with the red bandana who carried injured people, gave encouragement, and repeatedly returned into danger to save others.
Welles Crowther did not survive the tower's eventual collapse. But because of his courage, many others did.
Overcoming Darkness
Today, 25 years later, as we remember the events of September 11, Saint Paul gives us a powerful way to understand such selfless love.
Paul says, “I have become all things to all, to save at least some.” He speaks about running the race with discipline, purpose, and perseverance. The Christian life is a race—but not a race in which we are meant to compete against one another. It’s a race in which we are called to learn to give of ourselves for one another. Where the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel challenge us as well. Jesus asks, “Can a blind person guide a blind person?” Before we rush to point out the faults and failures of others, Jesus tells us to honestly look at ourselves and then remove the wooden beam from our own eye.
It’s this daily examination of conscience that is essential to Christian love. We cannot truly help others if we are blinded by selfishness, pride, resentment, or judgment. Saint Paul understood that the Gospel demands something of us. As he said, “Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!” But preaching the Gospel is not only done with words. Sometimes the most powerful sermon is preached through courage. Sometimes it is preached through sacrifice. Sometimes it is preached that a person chooses to go back into danger rather than simply save himself.
Putting Aside Our Own Agenda
That’s what makes the story of the man in the red bandana so powerful. In a moment when fear could have led him to think only of himself, Welles Crowther chose to serve others.
Most of us will never face such a dramatic moment. But every day, we’re given opportunities to “run the race” of Christian love: to put aside our own convenience for our family, to help someone who is suffering, to forgive, to encourage, to pray, and to notice the person everyone else has forgotten. We are called to courageously sacrifice for others.
September 11 reminds us of humanity at its worst—but more importantly, that humanity has the power to overcome darkness with sacrificial love.
May we first allow Christ to open our own eyes. Then, with clearer vision and generous hearts, may we run our race faithfully—not living for ourselves alone, but giving ourselves in love for others.
- Today’s Readings
- Father David's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center today. You can watch the entire Mass on the Family Rosary Video streams channel on YouTube.
- Join the Rosary (11:30 am ET) and Mass (Noon ET) livestreams on the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page, Monday – Friday. Invite your friends and family to pray with you as well.
