Blessed is the Kingdom

Fr. Christian…
Stumbled upon the blog and heard Springsteen’s The Rising in the background…perfect for Easter. Here’s a story about how I chose the same song for my college baseball team back in my former life. The subject is September 11 th not Easter, but the message is similar… hope you like it.
Kevin Cooney
NEVER FORGETTING…

Four years ago, September 11th found me on vacation with my family at my in-laws’ farm in Loudon, Tennessee. Jack and Hannah Parten have around 300 acres overlooking the Tennessee River near I 75. It’s a beautiful place with rolling farmland and a big old hill on the west side that offers a great view.

Jack and his son Richard have hay planted, and spend some hard days during the summer and fall cutting, raking, and baling hay. It needs to be done in good weather and takes about five days. I was there to help with the last cut of the year.

I remember it was cool enough for a long sleeve shirt, but as the sun rose higher, it provided one of the most beautiful days I’d seen. Some people might think riding a tractor all day might be boring, but I was a rookie, and the views were great. I was in the northwest field and each turn offered something beautiful to see. Heading north, you could see the road, and another field rising to the only neighbor’s property and his white farmhouse. Turning left and rolling down to the southwest, you could see our trailer and the big hill with baled hay and pine trees framing the western end of the farm. Due south, and in the distance was the Tennessee River. When I turned east, the Interstate bridge loomed in the distance, with the barn and the Parten farmhouse off to the left.

How many times I had sung Kenny Chesney’s “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy”, I don’t know, but it was a peaceful morning. Even the most cynical person taking in the beauty that was that morning would be moved to admit that there is a God in our lives. Nothing this beautiful could happen by accident.

On one of my turns to the west, I saw Mary Beth running towards me from the trailer. I hoped it was a visit related to the song in my mind, but as I got down from the tractor, I could see it in her face. Something was wrong; something that no one will ever forget.

The rest of the day was one of questioning. Back on the tractor, I asked God the same questions millions of others did that day. I don’t think there are any real answers.

When I got back home, I met with our players and talked about what happened. Most of them had already planned on giving blood- anything to help, in a helpless situation.

We talked about war, and the part they might have to play. It was an uncertain time.

The following year, I started playing a song before each game, as our players were introduced. Our players today probably think it’s played because it’s by Bruce Springsteen.

The Rising was one of a number of songs written by an artist whose home county in New Jersey lost more people that day than any other county in the state. That year was one marked by too many funerals.

Empty Sky, You’re Missing, Paradise, are songs whose genesis was that beautiful September morning that turned so tragic.

The words and images of The Rising make it more than just a song to me. It is about something we will never be able to forget.

Can’t see nothin’ in front of me
Can’t see nothin’ coming up behind
I make my way through this darkness
I can’t feel nothing but this chain that binds me
Lost track of how far I’ve gone
How far I’ve gone, how high I’ve climbed
On my back’s a sixty pound stone
On my shoulder a half mile of line

Left the house this morning,
Bells ringing filled the air
Wearin’ the cross of my calling,
On wheels of fire I come rollin’ down here

My mind always turns to the image of the NYFD racing toward those buildings as the alarms sounded, and the photograph of the fire fighter going up the stairwell as everyone else walked past him, and down to safety.

Sky of blackness and sorrow
Sky of love, sky of tears
Sky of glory and sadness
Sky of mercy, sky of fear
Sky of memory and shadow
Your burnin’ wind fills my arms tonight
Sky of longing and emptiness
Sky of fullness, sky of blessed life

Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight

I’ve never looked at a beautiful sky the same since that September day. My prayer is that thousands laid their hands in the hands of God and rose up that day.

This song will always be played for all those who remember that day. KC

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