Friday Prayer: Remembering September 11

Father, twenty-five years ago today, evil manifested in horrific ways. Nearly three thousand people died - going to work, boarding planes, trying to save others. They were mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, friends and strangers. The loss still echoes. The pain still lingers. We remember them.

We also remember the heroes - firefighters who climbed towers while others fled, passengers who fought hijackers, first responders who died serving others. They showed that courage exists alongside evil, that humans are capable of extraordinary sacrifice as well as horrific cruelty. Thank you for those who chose service over survival.

Don't let me use tragedy for cheap theology or easy answers. The attacks weren't punishment. They weren't your will. They were evil, plain and simple. But you can work good even through evil, redeeming what humans destroy. Twenty-five years later, keep me from letting fear control my responses. Evil can kill my body. Only I can surrender my soul through fear-driven choices. Help me love, not fear.