On the Anniversary of 9/11: We must be at prayer at such a time as this.

Good Evening Dear Family of Love and God!


It is once again September 11 or 9/11. Sixteen years have elapsed since that fateful and horrifying day. Our memories remain fresh as they were that morning. The grieving process is still with us. That is why we make vigil yet again to console us in our grief and set our faces like flint to take positive action and regain our footing as a united family. We must look forward as a people united for human rights and celebrate the dignity and diversity of all our family members here in this country and abroad. Our actions must be non-violent and with enough love energy to fuel change in this fragile and broken world. Today we commit ourselves to peace, unity, justice, equality, along with our CALM principles: Let's be Compassionate, Accepting, Loving, and Merciful.  Our lessons come from  On the Anniversary of a Disaster. We must be at prayer at such a time as this. 


Tonight we begin with our vigil and then go into our lessons and more prayers.


A good place to start is to light a candle in unity and love for one another! 

God we light this single candle in loving memory for all who died on 9/11 and those who have taken their own lives. Let light perpetual continue to shine upon them and give them peace.

God we light this single candle as a reminder of the need to become the compassionate, accepting, loving, and merciful family you have made us to be. We pray that we all may be one!

God, we light this single candle as we remember how important it is to shine light into the dark places of this world. Give us courage to be the light and shine with God's loving goodness to all.

God we light this single candle as we remember to respect the diversity of  all God's children.

God we light this single candle in love for our worldwide family members that we may be united in diversity without fear.

God we light this single candle in thanksgiving for all who respond to emergencies and especially this night we remember those who lost their lives coming to the aid of those in the Twin Towers and Pentagon. 

God we light this single candle in thanksgiving for all those who provided shelter to all who were stranded.

God we light this single candle for the families of the victims and yes even those who caused these terrible terrorist acts. We pray for all who have been grieving and those who tomorrow and those who remember their loved ones who have died at their own hands on this Suicide Prevention Day. May we show them love and comfort.

God we light this sing candle and pray and give thanks for_____________

God we light this single candle and pray the words of  the prayers for the dead of the three Abrahmic  faiths:


Prayers for the dead (Christian)

N , go forth upon your journey from this world,
in the name of God the Father almighty who created you;
in the name of Jesus Christ who suffered death for you;
in the name of the Holy Spirit who strengthens you;
in communion with the blessed saints,
and aided by angels and archangels,
and all the armies of the heavenly host.
May your portion this day be in peace,
and your dwelling the heavenly Jerusalem. Amen



The Mourner's Kaddish (Judaism)

Glorified and sanctified be God’s great name throughout the world
which He has created according to His will.

May He establish His kingdom in your lifetime and during your days,
and within the life of the entire House of Israel, speedily and soon;
and say, Amen.

May His great name be blessed forever and to all eternity.

Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honored,
adored and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be He,
beyond all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations that
are ever spoken in the world; and say, Amen.

May there be abundant peace from heaven, and life, for us
and for all Israel; and say, Amen.

He who creates peace in His celestial heights,
may He create peace for us and for all Israel;
and say, Amen

Salat al-Janazah - Islam


"O God, forgive our living and our dead, those who are present among us and those who are absent, our young and our old, our males and our females. O God, whoever You keep alive, keep him alive in Islam, and whoever You cause to die, cause him to die with faith. O God, do not deprive us of the reward and do not cause us to go astray after this. O God, forgive him and have mercy on him, keep him safe and sound and forgive him, honour his rest and ease his entrance; wash him with water and snow and hail, and cleanse him of sin as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. O God, give him a home better than his home and a family better than his family. O God, admit him to Paradise and protect him from the torment of the grave and the torment of Hell-fire; make his grave spacious and fill it with light."


God as we have prayed the prayers above for the dead help us to remember that we all are formed in your image and likeness and that in the words spoken at Ash Wednesday "Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return" Help us to not fear death but celebrate life. Amen. 

God of steadfast love, who led your people through the wilderness: Be with us as we remember and grieve. By your grace, lead us in the path of new life, in the company of your saints and angels; through Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world. Amen.

60 Deus, repulisti nos

1 O God, you have cast us off and broken us; *
you have been angry;
oh, take us back to you again.

2 You have shaken the earth and split it open; *
repair the cracks in it, for it totters.

3 You have made your people know hardship; *
you have given us wine that makes us stagger.

4 You have set up a banner for those who fear you, *
to be a refuge from the power of the bow.

5 Save us by your right hand and answer us, *
that those who are dear to you may be delivered

JOB 14:7-13

⁷ ‘For there is hope for a tree,
   if it is cut down, that it will sprout again,
   and that its shoots will not cease. 
⁸ Though its root grows old in the earth,
   and its stump dies in the ground, 
⁹ yet at the scent of water it will bud
   and put forth branches like a young plant. 
¹⁰ But mortals die, and are laid low;
   humans expire, and where are they? 
¹¹ As waters fail from a lake,
   and a river wastes away and dries up, 
¹² so mortals lie down and do not rise again;
   until the heavens are no more, they will not awake
   or be roused out of their sleep. 
¹³ O that you would hide me in Sheol,
   that you would conceal me until your wrath is past,
   that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me!

130 De profundis

1 Out of the depths have I called to you, O Lord;
Lord, hear my voice; *
let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.

2 If you, Lord, were to note what is done amiss, *
O Lord, who could stand?

3 For there is forgiveness with you; *
therefore you shall be feared.

4 I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for him; *
in his word is my hope.

5 My soul waits for the Lord,
more than watchmen for the morning, *
more than watchmen for the morning.

6 O Israel, wait for the Lord, *
for with the Lord there is mercy;

7 With him there is plenteous redemption, *
and he shall redeem Israel from all their sins

Jeremiah 31:15-20

15 Thus says the Lord:

A voice is heard in Ramah,

   lamentation and bitter weeping.

Rachel is weeping for her children;

   she refuses to be comforted for her children,

   because they are no more. 

16 Thus says the Lord:

Keep your voice from weeping,

   and your eyes from tears;

for there is a reward for your work,

says the Lord:

   they shall come back from the land of the enemy; 

17 there is hope for your future,

says the Lord:

   your children shall come back to their own country. 

18 Indeed I heard Ephraim pleading:

‘You disciplined me, and I took the discipline;

   I was like a calf untrained.

Bring me back, let me come back,

   for you are the Lord my God. 

19 For after I had turned away I repented;

   and after I was discovered, I struck my thigh;

I was ashamed, and I was dismayed

   because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’ 

20 Is Ephraim my dear son?

   Is he the child I delight in?

As often as I speak against him,

   I still remember him.

Therefore I am deeply moved for him;

   I will surely have mercy on him,

says the Lord. 

80 Qui regis Israel

1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; *
shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.

2 In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, *
stir up your strength and come to help us.

3 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

4 O Lord God of hosts, *
how long will you be angered
despite the prayers of your people?

5 You have fed them with the bread of tears; *
you have given them bowls of tears to drink.

6 You have made us the derision of our neighbors, *
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.

7 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be s

ROMANS 8:35-38

³⁵Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶As it is written,
‘For your sake we are being killed all day long;
   we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.’ 
³⁷No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,

23 Dominus regit me
1 The Lord is my shepherd; *
I shall not be in want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures *
and leads me beside still waters.

3 He revives my soul *
and guides me along right pathways for his Name's sake.

4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil; *
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; *
you have anointed my head with oil,
and my cup is running over.

6 Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, *
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

REVELATION 21:1-7

21Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. ²And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
‘See, the home^* of God is among mortals.
He will dwell^* with them;
they will be his peoples,^*
and God himself will be with them;^* 
4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.’

5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ ⁶Then he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. ⁷Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

A Song of Wisdom Sapientia liberavit

Wisdom 10:15-19,20b-21

Wisdom freed from a nation of oppressors *

a holy people and a blameless race.

She entered the soul of a servant of the Lord, *

withstood dread rulers with wonders and signs.

To the saints she gave the reward of their labors, *

and led them by a marvelous way;

She was their shelter by day *

and a blaze of stars by night.

She brought them across the Red Sea, *

she led them through mighty waters;

But their enemies she swallowed in the waves *

and spewed them out from the depths of the abyss.

And then, Lord, the righteous sang hymns to your Name, *

and praised with one voice your protecting hand;

For Wisdom opened the mouths of the mute, *

and gave speech to the tongues of a new-born people.

ROMANS 8:18-25

18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. ¹⁹For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; ²⁰for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope ²¹that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. ²²We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; ²³and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. ²⁴For in^* hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes^* for what is seen?²⁵But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

A Song of Lamentation

Lamentations 1:12,16; 3:19,22-24,26

Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? *

Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow,

Which was brought upon me, *

inflicted by God’s fierce anger.

For these things I weep; my eyes flow with tears, *

for a comforter is far from me, one to revive my courage.

Remember my affliction and my bitterness, *

wormwood and gall!

The steadfast love of God never ceases, *

God’s mercies never end.

They are new every morning; *

great is your faithfulness.

“God is my portion,” says my soul, *

“therefore will I hope in God.”

It is good that we should wait quietly *

for the coming of God’s salvation.

LUKE 6:20-26

20 Then he looked up at his disciples and said:
‘Blessed are you who are poor,
   for yours is the kingdom of God. 
²¹ ‘Blessed are you who are hungry now,
   for you will be filled.
‘Blessed are you who weep now,
   for you will laugh.

22 ‘Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you^* on account of the Son of Man. ²³Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. 
²⁴ ‘But woe to you who are rich,
   for you have received your consolation. 
²⁵ ‘Woe to you who are full now,
   for you will be hungry.
‘Woe to you who are laughing now,
   for you will mourn and weep.

26 ‘Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.

A Song of Ezekiel

Ezekiel 36:24-28

I will take you from among all nations; *

and gather you from all lands to bring you home.

I will sprinkle clean water upon you; *

and purify you from false gods and uncleanness.

A new heart I will give you *

and a new spirit put within you.

I will take the stone heart from your chest *

and give you a heart of flesh.

I will help you walk in my laws *

and cherish my commandments and do them.

You shall be my people, *

and I will be your God.

MARK 13:14-27

14 ‘But when you see the desolating sacrilege set up where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; ¹⁵someone on the housetop must not go down or enter the house to take anything away; ¹⁶someone in the field must not turn back to get a coat. ¹⁷Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! ¹⁸Pray that it may not be in winter. ¹⁹For in those days there will be suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, no, and never will be. ²⁰And if the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he has cut short those days. ²¹And if anyone says to you at that time, “Look! Here is the Messiah!”^* or “Look! There he is!”—do not believe it. ²²False messiahs^*and false prophets will appear and produce signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. ²³But be alert; I have already told you everything.

24 ‘But in those days, after that suffering,
the sun will be darkened,
   and the moon will not give its light, 
²⁵ and the stars will be falling from heaven,
   and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 
²⁶Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory. ²⁷Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

A Song of Hosea

Hosea 6:1-3

Come, let us return to our God, *

who has torn us and will heal us.

God has struck us and will bind up our wounds, *

after two days revive us,

On the third day restore us, *

that in God’s presence we may live.

Let us humble ourselves, let us strive to know the Lord, *

whose justice dawns like morning light,

its dawning as sure as the sunrise.

God’s justice will come to us like a shower, *

like spring rains that water the earth.

We close this night's vigil with the following classic prayers:

Holy God, G_D, Allah, Creator of the world and God of Many names  who made us in you image and likeness we pray this night and light our candles in memory and witness to all who have died in any genocide  and terrorist act our world has ever known. We light our candles and remember 9/11 ( the Women's holocaust in the Middle Ages, The Native Americans who walked the Trail of Tears and were killed by viruses brought to the New World, We pray for the Armenians who perished and The Great Holocaust that took the lives of 6,000,000 million Jews and others). We pray for the victims of modern day genocides in this era of terrorism and ethnic cleansing. We pray that we may look upon these our brothers and sisters who perished as a reminder of how easy it is to go down the slippery slope of hate, terror, fear, vengeance, and bigotry. We pray for peace in this fragile and broken world that we may be peace makers and truth tellers to our family members who do not know the history of these atrocities. We pray this night that we may stop the hate and new apartheid systems that infect the world. We pray that we may be compassionate, accepting, loving, and merciful. Let us always remember and never forget. Amen.

A Song of Jonah

Jonah 2:2-7,9

I called to you, O God, out of my distress, and you answered me; *

out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.

You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, *

and the flood surrounded me;

all your waves and billows passed over me.

Then I said, “I am driven away from your sight; *

how shall I ever look again upon your holy temple?”

The waters closed in over me, the deep was round about me; *

weeds were wrapped around my head at the roots of the mountains.

I went down to the land beneath the earth, *

yet you brought up my life from the depths, O God.

As my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, O God, *

and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.

With the voice of thanksgiving, I will sacrifice to you; *

what I have vowed I will pay, for deliverance belongs to the Lord!

A Prayer attributed to St. Francis

Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is
hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where
there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where
there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where
there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to
be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is
in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we
are born to eternal life. Amen.

Tavener -Song for Athene

The  Beatitudes  Matthew 5:3–12 

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. (5:3)

Blessed are those who mourn: for they will be comforted. (5:4)

Blessed are the meek: for they will inherit the earth. (5:5)

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they will be filled. (5:6)

Blessed are the merciful: for they will be shown mercy. (5:7)

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they will see God. (5:8)

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God. (5:9)

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (5:10

Lord you have searched me out and known me- Andrew Hague

"My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

Psalm 23- Bobby McFerrin

The Light and Love of Christ I hold out to you is my promise that we are family one to another this day and always. The Light of Christ in Me , Recognizes the Light of Christ in you. We lift up these our prayers in Jesus most holy name. Amen.

Here is a bonus on how to take action;

This is the day that God has called us to stop the hate and all the negativity and reunite with each other as family members and yes  that includes our enemies.  Everyone is a beloved child of God.

How do we do this and what are the rules of the road? 

As Maria says in "The Sound of Music" "Let's start from the very beginning!"

We must seek common ground and question our words, deeds, and thoughts towards each other . This is called self-examination!

We must recognize the holy in all people, places, places of worship, and in God's Cathedral of life.

We must walk like Jesus walked, Talk like Jesus talked, Love like Jesus loved.  Forgive like Jesus Forgave.

We  need to get a mirror and look at ourselves and see who God sees and who God made.

We need to look at ourselves and tell ourselves this "I love you!'

We need to begin to reacquaint ourselves with our family members and seek to not be estranged.

We need to show love for one another with generosity and care.

We need to begin to stop the hate  and violence towards all our family members who differ from us. 

We need to be practitioners of social justice, civil disobedience, and peaceful non-violent protest without fear and whenever necessary.

We need to model ourselves after God and Jesus and engage in radical love and hospitality towards everyone. 

We need to choose our words and actions rightly. 

We need to stop politicizing events such as 9/11 and come together as one.

We must sow seeds of Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy. 

We must strive to respect the dignity of every human being.

We must strive to make peace and show those who do not know how to make peace the right way with love, justice, mercy, and humility.

We must learn to be one with one another without spite and without malice.
We must love!

Let us light our candles this night and remember 9/11 in prayerful silence!

Help us as we remember and pray that these are necessary concepts as we go forward every year from this commemoration. 

#WordsMatter

 #WeMustStriveToBeEmpathetic

#WalkTheWalkThatJesusWalked

 #CallEachOthersBadBehaviorOut 

+++++


Good Night Dear Family of God And Love! May we never forget this day and remember that we all are one and made in the image and likeness of God!  I love you and am grateful to and for you always. 

With love and blessings!


Sara

Resources:
Satucket Lectionary
Quote sites for prayers of the dead.
Enriching our Worship.
Book of Common Prayer
YouTube
Walk With Me On Our Journey.