9/11 Memorial Service at Notre-Dame...why not?

Laura joined me for Hillsong this morning, and I was glad to have some company!  It was rather rainy and cloudy so I decided to go see a movie afterwards.  

Friends with Benefits was the movie of choice....as there wasn't really much to choose from as far as rom-coms go.  The movie was funny, although I think Justin Timberlake should just leave us with a distant memory of *NSync...he is no actor that's for sure.  There were a ton of American English clichés which made the movie not so funny for the French people reading the subtitles and not understanding the English.  Their translations were boring and didn't make sense.  The movie was "bicoastal" between New York and L.A. and it was raucously funny when a cliché was noted about either of the two cities.  Such as New Yorkers drink coffee and Los Angel(ans?)(ites?) drink wheat grass and soy milk.  I don't know why but that got them all riled up.  

I, however, was the only one in the entire theater laughing when a reference to Seinfeld was made.  It apparently was a pretty funny joke (can't remember it now...sorry folks) and I laughed out loud one of my boisterous, somewhat overbearing chuckles.  Of course no real French person has a clue what Seinfeld is (it is not one of the many television shows being translated and repeated in France. Aka, Friends, Two and a Half Men...) so I sounded like an idiot.  Even though I was one of the few who actually knew what was going on.  

I moved swiftly from my cozy seat in the theater to a very unpleasantly uncomfortable chair in Cathédrale Notre-Dame.  Between the huge columns and the crowds of people I managed to find a seat...but that doesn't mean I could see a thing!  

There was a memorial mass in honor of the victims, families, and troops for September 11, 2001.  How could I miss out on something like this? I'm an American after all!  It was typical mass at Notre-Dame but the liturgy and prayers were focused on 9/11.  I not only had to pull out my "Godly" French vocabulary but my 8th grade Catholicism as well.  Those 8 years of religion classes in a religion that wasn't mine really paid off at this point.  I say this not to intentionally offend any of my Catholic readers.....but I always forget how "robotic" a Catholic service is.  Stand up, sit down, say a prayer you've been saying every day of your life, stand up, kneel, stand up again, sing a verse, sit down, recite the Our Father, stand up again....whew.  Its exhausting.  But I tell you what, I haven't been to a Catholic service since 8th grade and I still knew every word that was coming so maybe that's a positive thing?  I stayed seated during communion as I know from Sister Mary Janice (and 3rd grade experience) that communion in a Catholic church isn't for Christians...its for Catholics.  Anywho, attending mass at Notre-Dame was on my to-do list before I leave and I killed two birds with one stone...hoorah!

The service itself wasn't patriotic...there was no American flag, picture of the twin towers, or 21 gun salute.  There wasn't a weeping widow, no Star-Spangled Banner, and there were no official troops, firemen, or policemen there...but yet somehow between the hallowed walls of the Notre-Dame Cathedral peace reached every person.  I couldn't begin to tell you how many nationalities were represented today at the service.  But I could tell you it was the first day here in Paris that I have been absolutely proud to be an American.  I was proud of our United States Ambassador here in France, Charles Rivkin, for organizing the event.  I was proud of the presence of Americans living in Paris that turned up for the event, myself included. 

The Cardinal and the United States Ambassador greeting special guests.  

After the service there was a music program and the Maitrise Notre-Dame de Paris (choir) performed a beautiful arrangement of songs in English.  Donald Grantham's We Remember Them among the list.  The clarity of the notes from the ancient organ and the sweet angel voices from each member of the choir filled the massive cathedral as we all reflected on the day that changed the world 10 years ago.  This "video" is nothing to see, just some of the beautiful music being played.  (This one's for you...Papaw.)  I wasn't too close so there may be some background noise.  

I have really come to enjoy solemn, joyful, peaceful, alone moments here in Paris, such as the one I shared with you today.  As soon as I stepped out of the church-boom.  Sounds of the city.  Metros whizzing by, music on the iPod, tourists snapping photos, those funny sounding ambulances, the smell of crêpes and Nutella in the air, and life in Paris goes on.