9-11-13

Today marks the twelfth anniversary of the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and some unknown target which by heroic actions became a field near Shanksville, PA.  It also marks the first anniversary of the attacks at the United States diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya in which Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three others were killed.  Two distinct incidents but with ties obvious and not so.

Evil must have a wicked sense of humor if it wants to remember today like it does.

In a 2007 post related to the events of this memorial, I suggested praying for the following:

1. The souls of all who died.
2. Those who still mourn.
3. Those who seek a just solution.  (While this may have been accomplished May 1, 2011,     have we really solved the problem?)
4. Forgiveness toward our enemies.
5. Our enemies (didn't Someone command us to do this?).
6. The courage to continue the fight.
7. Peace.

What I offer this year as my tribute is another prayer:

O God of love, compassion, and healing, look on us, people of many different faiths and traditions, who gather today at this site, the scene of incredible violence and pain. 

We ask you in your goodness to give eternal light and peace to all who died here—the heroic first-responders:  our fire fighters, police officers, emergency service workers, and Port Authority personnel, along with all the innocent men and women who were victims of this tragedy simply because their work or service brought them here on September 11, 2001. 

We ask you, in your compassion to bring healing to those who, because of their presence here that day, suffer from injuries and illness.  Heal, too, the pain of still-grieving families and all who lost loved ones in this tragedy.  Give them strength to continue their lives with courage and hope. 

We are mindful as well of those who suffered death, injury, and loss on the same day at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.  Our hearts are one with theirs as our prayer embraces their pain and suffering. 

God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world: peace in the hearts of all men and women and peace among the nations of the earth.  Turn to your way of love those whose hearts and minds are consumed with hatred. 

God of understanding, overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy, we seek your light and guidance as we confront such terrible events.  Grant that those whose lives were spared may live so that the lives lost here may not have been lost in vain.  Comfort and console us, strengthen us in hope, and give us the wisdom and courage to work tirelessly for a world where true peace and love reign among nations and in the hearts of all. 

Pope Benedict XVI

April 20, 2008

As I have encouraged so often this time of year, go search out other tributes on the web.  Maybe even visit this website.  This post is offered once again as a simple honoring of these events.

Forgetting what has happened is not an option.

We still have much work to do so there can be "peace on earth".

But we still must remember those who have fallen, so they "will not have died in vain."