What was her hope? : 9/11 Reflections
By Lois Grandmaison
I remember Jessica Sachs today on the 20 year mark of September 11, 2001 that marks the fateful day she boarded flight 11 that would be the first plane to be crashed into the World Trade Center. The moment that comes fresh to my mind each year that passes is a conversation we had in my living room months before she had graduated from UMass and moved her life to be near the Boston area as she pursued her career in accounting at PricewaterhouseCoopers. We had been having a conversation about life, the struggles within it and the sorrows found in the fallen human ways within us and all the world. There was grief and desperation for change. We shared of hopes deferred and along with it came a cloud of sorrow that was enveloping.
The main moment that comes fresh to my mind though was what she said after we had finally turned to prayer in all we had been wrestling with in our souls. It is a mark of what God does when we turn to Him. A promise He gives out of who He is in giving Himself for us. It is seen in Jesus’ own words for our wandering ways in Matthew 11:28-30:
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
What had she said that reverberates in my mind to this day? “It feels so good to let go.” And what I saw anew in her countenance and eyes, that moments before was so unsettled, was a beautiful rested soul. I saw hope. I saw peace. I saw trust. The circumstances we had just discussed had not changed, but what had changed was the lifting of her eyes to the One to where her help comes. And her soul now was rested.
What was her hope? Her hope was Jesus. The Jesus who humbly took on flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus, who sympathizes with all our weaknesses and temptations yet did not yield to the fallen human ways that mar. Jesus, who though innocent, endured the condemnation and brutality of the cross that bore each sin of each and every person to be given breath in this world. Jesus, who said in His final breaths, “forgive them for they know not what they do.” Jesus, who through the crucifixion, tore down the dividing wall of hostility between us and Him and us and others-forever. Jesus, who conquered the ultimate penalty of death with His own death by His powerful resurrection from the tomb. Jesus, who now with that same power that raised Him from the dead, gives life to those who come to Him who are weary and heavy laden.
As I think of this weekend and remembering Jessica, it is a weekend that coincides with the 22 year mark since MERCYhouse was established here in Amherst. Jessica was part of the first students to get involved in the planting of this church back in 1999. Jessica loved to make others around her feel welcome. She loved to get to know people and what made them tick. She loved fun conversations and ones that went deeper and challenging. She loved to laugh and she was willing to grieve with ones who grieved. She stepped out with boldness to share her faith and be invitational. Jessicas’s hope was in Jesus and she loved being a part of the hope filled seeds of the gospel going out in those first years as MERCYhouse was planting roots in the Pioneer Valley.
After Jessicas’s tragic passing, her parents designated all gifts in honor of Jessica’s life to be given to MERCYhouse because of how much she cared for the gospel to be established in Amherst. For many years donations were made and kept to the side until it was clear how God intended those gifts to be used. In 2005, the building many of you know as MERCYhouse today, went up for sale and the earnest money needed for a deposit was exactly what had been saved over the years in donations in Jessica’s name. Because of her life, the doors of MERCYhouse have been a threshold for the gospel to be proclaimed season by season for many a soul in these towns and campuses. She would want today, the remembrance of her life, to continue to call out to all who are weary and burdened to come to the cross and resurrection of Christ and find rest in the places you wrestle, just as she did.
It seems fitting, and in no forward planning by man, that this weekend God has our sermon series at MERCYhouse settle on Psalm 121 from the Psalms of Ascents in the scriptures. Today, let’s pray for the Sach’s family and for those remembering loved ones lost these long 20 years. Let’s pray for our world that is still battling hardships and destruction in systems and catastrophes. Let’s pray for our towns, schools, campuses, neighbors and our very own hearts that are facing challenges that seem impossible or insurmountable. Let’s pray that sorrowed eyes will be lifted and weary hearts pointed to the great gospel hope of Jesus, who is our ultimate KEEPER, from this time forth and forevermore.
Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper;
the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
8 The Lord will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.
In loving memory of Jessica Sachs (center).