Prayer For September 11 Anniversary
God of the mountains and the seas, the awesome power of nature can be both a wonder as well as a source of tragedy. We cry out to you in this time of great need for all those who are affected.
Almighty and everlasting God, comfort of the sad and strength to those who suffer: Let the prayers of your children who are in any trouble rise to you. We lift up those who have lost loved ones, grant your peace; for those who seek shelter and food, grant your comfort; for those facing illness, grant your healing; for those whose lives have been shattered, grant your strength.
God of wisdom and strength, guide the hands of those who provide emergency relief. We entrust to you those who care for the bereaved, those with the gift of healing, those who carry the burdens of moving debris, and those who distribute much needed supplies. Hopeless as it may seem at times, their work is very important. Give them the endurance that is needed to continue in their good works.
God of all consolation, in the midst of things we do not understand, tragedy too great to comprehend, and grieving too heavy to bear, grant your peace. This is a time when we welcome your Word of hope born into our world. May that hope burn in our hearts.
O God, our words cannot express
The pain we feel this day.
Enraged, uncertain, we confess
Our need to bow and pray.
We grieve for all who lost their lives...
And for each injured one.
We pray for children, husbands, wives
Whose grief has just begun.
O Lord, we're called to offer prayer
For all our leaders, too.
May they, amid such great despair,
Be wise in all they do.
We trust your mercy and your grace;
In you we will not fear!
May peace and justice now embrace!
Be with your people here!
Powerful God, our refuge and our strength, we turn to you for peace and security as we recall the 9/11 attack. We thank you for the bravery and the sacrifice of those who saved lives as firefighters, rescue crews, or people aboard United 93.
Comfort and strengthen the family and friends of those who died. Give healing and patience to the survivors of the attacks who are living with continued physical or psychological pain. May those who survived feel gratitude, not guilt. Assure each person whose life changed forever of your protection and strength. Dispel the nightmares; silence the anxiety. May we learn to depend on the security you offer.
We pray for your peace as we remember the terrorism attacks of 9/11. May our suffering from these attacks awaken in us an awareness of the pain and fear that so many around the world live with each day. May we know how to pray for those who struggle against oppression and injustice. As we hear of terrorist activity around the world, quiet our fears. Heal the wounded of these attacks, and help their families and friends rest in your security.
Guide the choices of our world leaders. Give them wisdom and discernment not only as they work to resolve the lasting effects of the 9/11 attacks but also as they try to alleviate terror of all sorts-from genocide to hunger, from drought to bombings. May their actions bring your peace to all the people of the world.
Gracious God, our world changed with the 9/11 attacks. We have seen how easily buildings can fall and how quickly lives can end. As we remember 9/11, may it remind us that you are our only true security. Give us your strength to face the memory of this attack and the changes it made in our lives. Give us your compassion to help each other and recognize need around the world. Give us your hope as we face an uncertain future. Give us your peace.
In the strong name of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
O God, our hope and refuge,
in our distress we come quickly to you.
Shock and horror of that tragic day have subsided,
replaced now with an emptiness,
a longing for an innocence lost.
We come remembering those who lost their lives
in New York, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania.
We are mindful of the sacrifice of public servants
who demonstrated the greatest love of all
by laying down their lives for friends.
We commit their souls to your eternal care
and celebrate their gifts to a fallen humanity.
We come remembering
and we come in hope,
not in ourselves, but in you.
As foundations we once thought secure have been shaken,
we are reminded of the illusion of security.
In commemorating this tragedy,
we give you thanks for your presence
in our time of need
and we seek to worship you in Spirit and in truth,
our guide and our guardian. Amen.
Who are we, O God, that you are mindful of us?
We are the bystanders, the ones left disquieted and helpless.
the things we have feared have come upon us;
what we have dreaded has happened,
And we are filled with confusion.
Who are we, Lord, that you are mindful of us?
We are the wounded and hurting, the ones whose groans pour out like water.
We are crushed in body and in spirit;
we find no solace among the living,
And we are filled with fear.
Who are we, O God, that you are mindful of us?
We are the survivors, the ones who seek to understand and to act.
We are burdened by a cacophony of angry voices;
we find no help in human wisdom,
And we are filled with despair.
Who are we, O God?
In these times of trial there is much we do not know.
But this we know:
Whoever we are, whatever we do, you are mindful of us.
Your everlasting arms will comfort all who come to you,
And your judgment will fall down upon those who do not follow your ways of love.
Help us, we pray, to live peaceably with the things we know, and the things we cannot know.
Grant us the grace to speak hope in the midst of despair.
Grant us the courage to return love for hatred.
Grant us the wisdom to believe that vengeance is yours, not ours.
And grant us the compassion to minister to those for whom despair and hatred are the bitter fuel that keeps body and soul together.
We pray in the deep confidence that this world is yours, and all that is in it. And we pray in the name of the One who came to save us, the Prince of Peaceeven Jesus Christ our brother and our savior. AMEN.
Hear these words of comfort:
In Jesus Christ, God accepts us as we are.
In the midst of pain,
When memories will not heal,
When anger overtakes us,
When hostility displaces hospitality,
god comforts. God understands and forgives.
Listen, and rejoice in the love of God that passes understanding.
Remind us, we pray, to seek Christ's face in the faces of strangers,
and among those of whom we don't approve, and whom we don't like.
Remind us that Christ loves each one equally and unconditionally,
and that, although we will surely fail, we are called to do the same.
Remind us that you are the God of all, not only of some.
Forgive us, we pray, when we are less than loving, and mold us into the
true sons and daughters of your heart, so that all our words and deeds
may cry out:
Your will be done, in peace. AMEN.
Eternal God, Source and Creator of Life; From the depths we have called to you and we call to you again for courage, strength and wisdom on this anniversary of our nation's tragedy.
Grant us courage to confront our enemies. Comfort those who stand alone without spouse, parent, brother, sister, or friend. Open our hearts to them and to the children orphaned ten years ago today. Enable us to love more deeply all children who suffer. Accept with mercy our prayers of healing on behalf of the families of the victims and on behalf of the second responders who became ill at Ground Zero.
Despite the horror and tragedy of 9/11, our country remains a shelter of peace, a symbol of freedom a beacon light of compassion and justice to the downtrodden and oppressed of the world.
Strengthen the hands of our people to defend this country and our common values of freedom and justice. Inspire our leaders and diplomats to act wisely and to pursue peace everywhere in the world.
May we teach our children to learn and to think, to consider and to reason, to be courageous in thought and in deed, and to nurture hearts of wisdom that they may do battle against fear, hatred and bigotry using weapons of the spirit and loving hearts.
We offer our prayers on behalf of our country and government, our President and judiciary, our officials and institutions, our soldiers and citizens, upon all who faithfully toil for the good of our country, to preserve democracy in our land, to advocate for civility between adversaries, and to treat every human being as infinitely worthy and dignified by virtue of being created b'Tzelem Elohim, in the Divine image.
Bestow upon us all the blessings of peace, and may we live to see the day when swords will be converted into ploughshares and nations will not learn war anymore. Amen!