The Sheltering Tree of 911

Trinity Root --  COLLECTION 9/11 MEMORIAL MUSEUM. 

GIFT OF STEVE TOBIN, AMERICAN ARTIST. PHOTO BY STEVE TOBIN.

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,

    and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
2 The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
    the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
    the spirit of counsel and might,

On Saturday, tjhe 20th anniversary of 911, I wrote in my Lion Lamb blog about visiting New York City and what is known as Ground Zero, the site of the World Trade Towers which were obliterated by terrorists. Many innocent people died that day and while we also wanted to visit the memorial and museum which now  exists there we were a few months early for the opening. 

 We did enter St. Paul's Chapel, a historic church which is adjacent to Ground Zero yet somehow escaped damage, some say miraculously. It became a staging place for responders and a refuge for the weary and heartbrokem. The fence around the church became an impromptu place for memorial banners which were eventually moved inside. There are other exhbits inside, including one in the entrance called "Healing Hearts and Minds." 

I learned just recently that In the weeks after September 11, sculptor Steve Tobin pondered  commemorating an American sycamore tree at the edge of Ground Zero, toppled by the force of the collapsing towers. One description offers that "theresulting artwork is striking not only for its ambitious scale and engineering virtuosity but also because of the tree’s presentation as something other than terrestrial branches, foliage, and woody surfaces."

Trees aren't heroic the way humans are, or at least we assume they aren't. Just the same, our lives are intertwined with trees in many ways. I've mentioned before that trees are mentioned more often than just about anything else in scripture other than God and people. It's important that the sycamore tree is recognized for the shelter and protection it provided, as well as the symbolism it offers.