THE FRAMINGHAM 17

"Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them..." (from Hebrews 13:3)

Around supper time I attended two 9/11 remembrance ceremonies at Framingham's Tercentennial Park (the grounds of the former U.S. government "Cushing Hospital" military nursing home facility) off Dudley Road near Farm Pond.

I've been to the park before, but it has been awhile.  I had NOT been to the 9/11 Memorial until today.  It's a very special and beautiful Memorial which includes a small and attractive gazebo.  The official ceremony began at 5:30 p.m.  Clergy who were interested in being part of the ceremony were invited to arrive at 5:15.  There were only four clergy TOTAL who showed up.  The other three (Msgr. Francis Strahan of St. Bridget's Catholic Church, The Rev. Richard Hurst of Lutheran Church of Framingham, and The Rev. Brad Watters of Grace Congregational Church) all had specific parts in the program.  There were contingents of firefighters and police officers along with the Framingham Town Manager and Framingham Selectmen.  I noted that State Rep. Pam Richardson and State Senator Karen Spillka were among those who were present.  The ceremony was short, but patrotic and moving.  The names of seventeen people connected to Framingham who lost their lives in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks were read.  As I recall from the past, these were not all Framingham RESIDENTS, but some were employees of Framingham's TJX Companies who died in one of the hijacked flights. 

At 6:30, a much shorter ceremony took place.  Two dedicated middle-aged evangelical Christian men that I know (one Assemblies of God and one Congregational) had encouraged those who were interested to gather at the gazebo for a time of prayer for our community and nation.  They'd imagined perhaps dozens of interested Christians joining them for prayer.  In reality, there were five of us present. One of the guys was disappointed in the turnout, but I encouraged him that anything planned on a weeknight around supper time can be difficult to attract large numbers of people to.   For part of the time, Scripture was read, and for part of the time, we knelt and prayed. 

Of interest to me was that one guy read a quote from Henry Wilson who was the Republican Vice-President of the United States under President Ulysses S. Grant from 1873-1875.  It was evident from the quote that Wilson was a very committed and outspoken theologically conservative Christian.  As a young man, he was known as "The Natick Cobbler". Those of you from here in Boston's MetroWest suburbs have likely seen his little cobbler shop which is on display as a historic site on Route 135.  I did NOT know that Wilson was a very committed and very conservative Christian, and had been an outspoken abolitionist.  I researched Henry Wilson on-line a little bit after I got home and discovered he was absolutely committed to "temperance" and drank NO alcoholic beverages.  So, think of it, a religious Republican socially conservative Christian.  It sounds like he'd have a lot in common with Sarah Palin, doesn't it?  I learned that Henry Wilson had been a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts before he was Vice-President.  Interestingly enough, Wilson DIED IN OFFICE while he was Vice-President.  I'm not sure how many Vice-Presidents have died in office.

The weather in Massachusetts today was very much like it was on September 11, 2001:  sunny, bright blue sky, low humidity, a high temperature of around 72.  That actually made the day SADDER for me because it was SO much like it was on that fateful day.

Well, at the end of the day, I just wanted to share this "stuff".

I wish there had been a few more people at the official 5:30 p.m. Framingham 9/11 observance and at the unofficial 6:30 p.m. prayer gathering.  If you live in Framingham, will you mark this on your calendar for next year?