Lord of Mercy, Prince of Peace,
This date, 9-11, carries a heavy burden of memory.
This day does not pass in the calendar without our remembering.
We remember images of death and destruction.
Images that human eyes were never meant to see.
We remember words our ears were never meant to hear, the tender last words
of husbands and wives who would never embrace again.
We imagine the feeling of emptiness in the arms of children who at the end of the day could not find mum or dad for their welcome home hug.
We remember our own feelings of emptiness as our sense of security, as our own
confidence in the predictable order of life and work was radically shaken.
We remember the heroism of the many that lost their lives in saving others.
We remember all those who suffered and died, we grieve for them still, friends and strangers alike, along with their families and friends.
And it is right that it should not pass from our memory.
But today and in this
prayer, along with our remembrance of profound loss, it also seems right that
we give voice to our deep longing for peace, and with this prayer, commit
ourselves to those actions that will draw us closer to our most ancient and
most holy desire, peace among all God’s children.
Let there be peace on earth and among all people. I've been spending my evening watching programs about that day, twenty years ago, and remembering.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I remember that day, I do not know anyone personally affected - but these recent TV programmes have reminded us that lives and families were torn apart, and changed forever. For those people especially, God grant peace in their hearts, courage to keep going, and surround them with love.
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine who lived in California lost her son on 9/11.
ReplyDeleteHe was on board Flight 93, the plane which the terrorists brought down when the passengers fought back. It destroyed her completely, she never recovered from losing him, and died seven years later, she just had no will to live anymore.
If people could just put as much effort into loving and helping as they do into hating and destroying, imagine what an amazing place this earth would be.
How terribly sad. We must have more faith, hope and love [and the greatest of these is love]
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