My soul grieves for those who have been affected by the tragedy that shook our nation 8 years ago on this day. I remember exactly where I was when I first heard about the attack, walking into my 8th grade Social Studies class at Moore Middle School in Tyler, TX. I didn't really understand the weight of the event until much later, and even today I'm still caught off-guard every year when we remember those who perished. My thoughts and prayers go out to those who lost loved one's and painfully remember this day–your grief and tears are seen and heard by the world and the God who's name is Love and Justice.
 
My school put on a short memorial service this afternoon to remember this day. My room-mate two years ago, Austin Garrett Ward, prayed this prayer for us:
 
Father, Son, Spirit, we gather together to remember with You an event eight years ago which shook us and I ask that you would teach us what to make of this event; how to remember it. I ask that you would graft us into a divine sympathy with You and a deep, personal identification with our brothers and sisters in mourning, understanding their pain as our own as we remember and let that compassion inform our memory.

 We remember the thousands of workers, women and men, old and young, single and married, American-born and those born of other countries who did not escape the buildings.

 We remember the friends and families whose cries of mourning echoed across the nation at the news of the attacks.

 We remember those who worked with great courage to help each other: window-washers, bystanders, maintenance workers.

 We remember the firefighters who rushed upstairs while nearly everyone else was racing down.

 We remember the police officers who stood to protect and defend until the towers came crashing down on top of them.

 We remember the millions of Americans who generously gave of their finances to pay for funds to help the survivors and their families recover from their losses.

 We remember the people who stood in line at the nation’s blood banks to make living donations from their very bodies.

 Yes, we remember the large-scale destructive inhumanity of a terrorism committed by a few men with poisoned hearts but also we remember the restoring compassion of many who creatively responded to the tragedy with great courage and love, driven by the indomitable human forces of compassion and resolve to comfort those who were mourning and heal those who were hurting. I thank you for these people who came alongside the brokenhearted and did what they could to bring some light into a very dark time in our history.

 September 11th however, proved to cause many Americans more suffering than the loss of life on that afternoon, for it also infected many Americans (and much of the Western world) with an enslaving hatred and bitter prejudice against an entire people, and so, Spirit of God, we must also remember and mourn the further tragedy that followed September 11th: the thousands of Muslims and Middle Eastern families around the world who were severely persecuted and irrationally hated as a result of these attacks (with them we suffer and with You we mourn this evidence of our depravity). I pray for forgiveness for and freedom from the corrupting racial and religious prejudice that exists even to this day by men and women of every nation and tongue creating enemies out of brothers and sisters. Heal us all Lord, for we are a broken people.

 I pray that you, Spirit of God, would never let us forget the destructive evil of terrorism: the pain and suffering it inflicts upon the innocent and the infection of dehumanizing hatred it can instill in the minds and hearts of those whom have been hurt. So, Holy Spirit, I pray that you comfort those who are mourning and keep us safe from participating in the very behavior we condemn.

 By your Spirit give rise in us to broad sympathy for all the peoples of your earth.

 Let may we, gathered here raise up prayers from our Spirits for those lost and those mourning, for those who suffer from prejudice and hatred and for those who rejoiced over this evil – that you would forgive them and teach us all to see each other not as enemies but as human beings in a psalm brother/sisterhood. We raise up our prayers now:

 Strengthen us to comfort those who mourn and work in large ways and small for those things that make for peace. Bless the people and leaders of this nation and all nations so that warfare may become only a historic memory. Out of what we have endured, give us the grace to examine our relationships with those who perceive us as the enemy, and show our leaders the way to use our power to serve the good of all for the healing of the nations.

 We pray in the strong name of the Prince of Peace. Amen.
 
What powerful words spoken by Austin. A call to remember and to mourn in a season of mourning. A call to extend empathy to those who suffered–and continue to suffer to this day. A call to remember who we are as a people–and as a nation–that we are not shaken by this act of 'terror,' but that we stand united against those in the world who seek to stand against freedom, justice, and peace.
 
Austin, and very rightfully so, also calls us to remember who we are in that we have been blessed with freedom, justice, and peace–and these are not gifts we are to take lightly. Rather, we yield them with dignity and valor to ALL people of the world. Not just for our benefit, but for the blessing of the world.
 
Wes