Like millions of Americans, I was at work on 9/11. I was 18 years old, employed at a water facility on Lake Michigan in Chicago.
My coworkers and I gathered around a small television and watched the unthinkable unfold in real time. It was a moment when a country lost its collective innocence. A moment in which we realized things would never be the same. A moment when the promise of eternal sunrise in America looked dim.
And now our group, once solely linked by vocation, had something else in common: fear.
Yet despite the national emergency, there was work to be done.
All around us, 55 million gallons of water surged through our system, making its way to multiple cities —communities that were dependent on this facility.
So, shortly after the attacks, I was placed on security duty, to stand watch at the one gate that led to our main water intake. Government officials had learned of potential threats against public utilities, including anthrax in the water supply. I had felt terror before, but this was the first time I felt a visceral, all-encompassing fear.
I spent the next two weeks guarding that gate. Looking back, the scenario seems implausible, even laughable. I had no weapon, no two-way radio, certainly no experience guarding anything. I was just a frightened teenager stationed as a lookout for an unknown threat.
Those two weeks spent at the gate taught me an important principle: People are comforted by knowing that someone is there. I didn’t need to be the most qualified person for the job. I was willing. I was present. And I took my place.
We cannot change the outcome for the 2,996 people who lost their lives that day. But we can remember them. We can honor them.
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One of the best ways to do that is to be present for your loved ones. Be willing. Take your place at the gate.
Over the years, the threat has changed. The source of our terror has evolved, the danger grown more elusive. But what I learned is that, when your life is submitted to Christ, fear is a choice. So, I encourage you to choose something else: hope.
As I reflect on 9/11, I want to share a few observations with you.
First, true evil always reveals true kindness. When evil advances, kindness will appear in response. Evil never wins.
Second, God always develops the “Josephs” of the world — those who lead, those who affect change — through a long process, knowing those leaders will often debut at the height of a crisis. God is never taken by surprise, and the King always has one more move.
Lastly, our ability to remember becomes our reason not to repeat. Memory is a gift from the greatest teacher.
I vividly recall that moment 22 years ago when I was scared. And I wasn’t alone. Across our nation, fear had become the great unifier, a singular commonality we all gathered around.
But I’m not scared anymore. Not because the world has become a safer place, but because Psalm 91 governs the distant kingdom to which I belong, and my King always honors His word. Our safety is ultimately defined by our hope in Him.
Fear often appears as questions. It often masquerades as “Why?” And while we question why such a tragedy occurred — why is there evil in the world — there is no clear answer. We may seek comfort in simplistic answers, like pain is the result of sin, or that suffering makes us stronger, or that an all-knowing God has a master plan.
But the truth is we don’t need answers. God doesn’t delight in giving us answers. He delights in giving us Himself. In our pain, what we actually long for is the answer. So, I encourage you to invite him into your space. His tangible presence will enter the void you have inside and fill it with a calm and a reassurance that transcends words. You’ll find comfort. You’ll find security. You’ll find hope.
As a grown man who now lives and pastors in New York City, I stand at the gate, willing, present, sharing the hope of salvation. A gift that no government, no amount of money, no religion can provide. Because no matter the state of the world, no matter what’s happening around us, there’s work to be done.
So on this year’s anniversary of 9/11, let’s gather around—as a community and as a nation—joined together not by fear, but hope.
Mike Signorelli is the founding pastor of V1 Church, called the “fastest-growing church in America” by INJOY Stewardship Solutions. In just five years, V1 Church has grown from one location to three campuses nationally across Long Island, New York City, and Northwest Indiana; including over 100 watch parties globally in homes. As a content creator, Signorelli is known for his engaging and thought-provoking spiritual content, which he shares on social media platforms, reaching over 5 million people monthly.
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