Prayer for September 11, 2009 Service

by Stephen Melton | September 11, 2009

Prayer of September 11, 2009 Worship Service of Remembrance

Gracious and Loving God, on September 11, 2001 we saw what happened when people assumed that following religious convictions was the same as following you. How painfully ironic that those who inflicted so much harm that day were convinced they were doing it for You. Instead of using love to heal this broken world, they used hate and only broke it some more.

Lord, we yearn to be religious people, but keep us from using religion to harm others. Make us humble when it comes to judging the hearts of others. Make us contrite when it comes to confessing our faults. Make us realize that our understanding of you will always, always be flawed. So, if we are to fail, as we will fail, let us not fail in being too harsh but let us fail in being too loving, let us not fail by being too narrow-minded, but let us fail in being too accepting.

Perhaps the best way for us to honor those who died this day is to commit ourselves to making the world a more tolerant place. May the sacrifice of their lives inspire us to do whatever we can to invite your Kingdom into our world and into our lives.

Ease the sorrow of those who still mourn. Bring gentle reminders of the past to their hearts. Fill their hearts with a comforting joy as they remember those whom they miss. But, especially, Prince of Peace, end the conflicts that put at risk the lives of those whom we love.

All: Lord, make us an instruments of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let us sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;