Prayer for 9/11

 This is my prayer this morning from the Mayor's press conference. Thought I'd share it!

We take a moment to pause, and remember. 

May we never forget.

May we never forget the selfless actions of men and women who rushed into burning buildings in New York City and Virginia. May we never forget determined women and men who brought their own plane down in Pennsylvania, to deny their hijackers their target. May we never forget the friends, sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, people whose absence has made these past 19 years infinitely more difficult. 

May we never forget the brave men and women who have made the last 19 years more peaceful and stable.

May we never forget the unity we felt in the face of evil and a changed world. Our grief, our anger, our despair. 

But Lord, on this day, there are things I pray we will forget.

I pray we can forget our need for vengeance. May we remember your call for justice and mercy, brought together in a way that creates a world where people would never think that flying planes into buildings is somehow God’s will.

I pray we can forget our need for blame. May we instead discover our own part in creating a world that honors those taken 19 years ago.

I pray we will forget our own shortcomings. Not that we would turn a blind eye, but that they can be addressed, dealt with, and redeemed so that 19 years from now, we haven’t forgotten them or your love.

In this season of pandemic, our past calls with lessons that our hearts need to hear. May we never forget.

You never forget us - and we pray we won’t forget each other. On this Patriot’s Day, may we remember.

In Jesus name I pray, Amen.


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