Trauma and Transformation at Ground Zero: A Pastoral Theology

2. Earth-Making

39 chapter 2 Earth-Making The Holding Space Matins In the morgue, many men, two metal tables, white walls, boxes of gloves, supplies, places to record observations. Outside the doors Port Authority Police Officers gather and wait for one of their own. Two litters brought in—one bag on each table, shapeless, black, dirt-covered vinyl Shrouds. Uncover. Full room of silent men listening to prayer. First one: Thanksgiving again for the finding. Litany at Time of Death . . . From all evil, from all danger, from all tribulation, Good Lord deliver them. The Lord’s Prayer said by men together in the presence of violent death. Accept O Lord, a sheep of thine own flock, a sinner of thine own redeeming . . . May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God, Rest in peace. Trauma and Transformation at Ground Zero 40 Next table. Shorter prayer. Thanksgiving for the finding, gratitude for the workers, peace for the family, God’s blessing, Amen. Hats back on, gloves on, and the first bag is opened. Whole body: An adult male the stink of death is present Wallet found His name is: Photo taken, the flash brighter than the fluorescents. Bag closed, gloves changed, second bag opened: Upper right arm. Ulna. a hand. Almost indistinguishable from the mud that surrounds it. Another photo, bag closed, and honor detail forms up, presents . . . arms: Both bags reverently placed into a waiting ambulance and escorted away. The liturgy is repeated Twice more tonight.1 Earth-Making: The Cycle of Creation In Christian practice in a number of denominations, the liturgy at the time of death is a powerful reminder of the whole cycle of not only life and death, but also cre- 41 Earth-Making: The Holding Space ation and redemption. Like baptism, where birth and death are intimately entwined through the symbology of drowning and coming up out of the water as baptism into the death of Christ and his resurrection, in the “Litany at theTime of Death” and the Burial Office, there is reminder, not only of the resurrection, but of creation. In the Burial Office in the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, the Commendation states: You only are immortal, the creator and maker of mankind; and we are mortal, formed of the earth, and to earth shall we return. For so did you ordain when you created me, saying, “You are dust, and to dust you shall return.” All of us go down to the dust; yet even at the grave we make our song: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.2 Then is said the piece included in the “Litany at the Time of Death” that the chaplain above said in the Temporary Morgue at Ground Zero: “Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant N. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen.”3 Here, there is a recognition that the soul which returns to God and the remains which are as the dust—like the “hand. Almost indistinguishable from the mud that surrounds it”—are that very being which was created in love by the one to whom they are returning. The phrase, “earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust,” is not simply about the finality and fragility of life, but about the spirituality of physicality: the earth that we return to is the earth from which we are made. More than most places, this was apparent at the T. Mort. And I just remember that one time where they brought this body in, it looked like that anyway. And it was the shell of the clothing that survived. They opened it up there was nothing in there, just ash. . . . the fire chief was there and a few others were there and I sort of went up to them and gave my condolences . And he turned around, and that really blew me away, he says, “You know, it’s a happy day; we got one of our own back.” Wow. Different way of looking at it then. So that helped me in a way, too, to look at it in a different way as well. From their side of it . . . What was...