A prayer and reflection for September 11th

The ten anchor organizations that are part of America Healing, joined together to co-author a special 9/11 Prayer for Reflection to commemorate the anniversary and inspire hope and healing across communities. Their desire and commitment to work together on behalf of vulnerable children and families was expressed at the America Healing meeting in May 2011.

This prayer and reflection for hope and healing was crafted by organizations committed to racial equity and social justice. It is offered for public use in worship services, meetings, remembrance events, and gatherings that will mark the 10th Anniversary of September 11th.

As we approach the ten year anniversary of September 11th, may each of us pause to remember, reflect and renew our country’s commitment to fundamental values of inclusion, equality, and diversity.

On the morning of September 11th, we were all stunned by the billowing black smoke against a brilliant blue sky and we mourned the loss of thousands of precious lives. The images and events of that fateful day have left an indelible imprint in our hearts and minds.

A decade later, we remember that day with sadness. And we remember the awe-inspiring unity we all felt – a collective national expression of how Americans can come together across racial, ethnic, class, and geographic lines to both heal and rebuild our nation.

Let us reflect on the spirit we felt that day, when we were resolute in the fact that we were all Americans working together with compassion, generosity, and understanding.

Let us embrace our collective humanity and our fundamental values of tolerance, diversity, and shared community. Indeed, what makes us Americans is not what we look like or where we came from, but what we stand for and embrace. On this solemn anniversary, let us accept, respect, and honor the sacred worth of all life that inhabits not just this nation but the entire earth.

As we endeavor to move forward, we acknowledge the lessons this tragedy has taught us:

In justice, there is peace
In equity, there is harmony
In compassion, there is healing
In unity, there is strength
In hope, there is possibility
In love, there is power.

This prayer was composed by Advancement Project, the Applied Research Center, the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the National Congress of American Indians, the National Council of La Raza, the National Urban League, the Poverty & Race Research Action Council, and National Council of Asian Pacific Americans. These organizations are partners in America Healing, an initiative of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, working to improve life outcomes for vulnerable children by promoting racial equity and eliminating barriers to opportunity. Please join in America Healing by visiting us at www.americahealing.org.