Saturday Prayer: Sitting in Grief

Father, yesterday we remembered catastrophe. Today we remember that for many, yesterday's grief is still today's reality. Twenty-five years later, some still miss those they lost. Their grief might be less raw, but it's not gone. Anniversaries hurt. Ordinary moments trigger memories. Life continues, but absence remains.

Teach me to mourn with those who mourn. Not to fix, explain, or theologize. Not to rush toward resolution or offer cheap comfort. Just to sit with pain, acknowledge loss, be present without needing to make it better. Help me resist the urge to say "God has a plan" when I don't know the plan, or "everything happens for a reason" when I don't know the reason.

If someone in my life is grieving - whether from September 11 or something more recent - give me sensitivity to remember. Don't let me assume they're fine just because time has passed. Grief doesn't follow schedules. Help me be present, patient, willing to sit in pain without fixing it. Blessed are those who mourn. Help me help them find comfort.