I invite you to reach out and make contact with the person next to
you, a hand on shoulder, hand in hand, arm in arm, arm around, that
we might feel our human connection at this dreadful time of mourning.
And I ask you to be silent with me in remembrance of those who died
on Tuesday, Sept. 11, in the fire and chaos of disaster, the workers
in the World Trade Center and Pentagon and the passengers and crew members
of the 4 planes which were crashed.
I ask you to be silent in honor of those who gave their lives in sacrifice
to help others, those who ran into burning buildings and were crushed
by falling debris as they worked to salvage what life might remain,
and those who knew they were about to die and heroically did what they
could to save other intended victims, who overpowered hijackers, who
called out on cell phones to alert the world.
I ask you to be silent in support of those who wait for news of loved
ones, those whose friends and family are gone forever, perhaps never
to be ound, identified, laid to rest in traditional ways.
I ask you to be silent in mourning for all of us, all of humanity,
for we re all victims of this terrible injustice, we all were wounded
by this terrible hatred, and we all wait in fear of the outcome.
And I ask you, now, to be vocal, to be loud, to be powerful, to roar
in speaking your truth, the truth that comes from understanding that
human beings are meant to live in peace. (say it with me....) We are
not meant to hurt and kill each other, for every blow we strike against
another life injures us ourselves, injures all humanity. We do not gain
revenge from striking back. We kill our own souls when we do so.
The Islamic poet Saadi has written, "To worship God is nothing
more than to serve the people....All peoples are members of the same
body, created from one essence. If fate brings suffering to one member,
the others cannot stay at rest."
Please join me in a time of meditation and prayer.
Spirit of Life and Love,
Draw near to us and help us to draw near to one another as we try to
cope with this terrible tragedy.
Help us to find solace in others' presence and help us to be solace
for their pain as well. Help us to express our anger and our pain in
ways that do not further wound, without seeking revenge.
Help us to cherish our connections with others, to share the love we
feel freely and openly, and may our compassion be strengthened and our
commitment to justice deepened.
We hold in our hearts the loved ones of those who died or were wounded
or who wait long hours for news of loved ones.
Help us to respond with love to those who would seek revenge, who would
punish innocent people for the sins of others.
Help us to reject racism and religious intolerance, firmly and clearly,
and help us understand people who are different from us.
May our fear not hold us hostage, but let us seek comfort by reaching
out to help those who are hurting.
Help us live with this new knowledge that even our strong country is
not invulnerable.
Help us to live with the knowledge that our country is not blameless
in this terrible event and help us to have compassion for our leaders
as they seek solutions that are just. Give them strength to resist retaliation
that demeans our country's noble purpose. May they listen to those voices
that protest further violence.
May we take heart from the many stories of selfless sacrifice that
are emerging from the wreckage and may we remember that Goodness can
prevail, with our help.
May we keep our faith in the ideals of freedom, which are the hallmarks
of our nation, and may we work to create a worldwide culture of peace,
liberty and justice for all.
O Spirit of Life and Love, Be with us as we struggle through these
days and give us strength and courage to build a better world together.
Amen, Shalom, Salaam, and Blessed Be.
Benediction: You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience
in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say
to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next
thing that comes along.'
You must do the thing you think you cannot do. ---Eleanor Roosevelt
