Mr. Wehner's Morning Prayer the Day Afer the "Attack on America"
Dear God
This morning we sit at our desks or pause in the halls and pray. As we pray we reflect on the last 24 hours. Many of us sat mesmerized in front of the television last night and heard the words of many newscasters that our lives as we know it will be changed forever by yesterday's events. In our sweep of emotions we felt sorrow, anger and rage and we shook our fists and wondered why. We dared to ask the question: If there is a God, then how, Lord, could you let this happen? How could you have abandoned us in this time of need?
Our faith, Jesus, jars us back to reality. It is the core of our Catholic belief. We know Lord that you are with us. We know and believe that you would never abandon us. I can't help believing that yesterday afternoon and all last night you were there in the streets of New York.
You, Lord, used the hands of the physician in easing the pain of those wo were suffering. You, Lord, used the eyes of an old man that led a dazed woman to safety. You were the total stranger, Lord, who calmed the fears of those who were trapped inside a building. You, Lord, were the teenager wo offered his coat to the woman who was bleeding. You, Lord, were the eyes, ears, and arms of the fireman, policeman and rescue personnel who answered their call to duty and guided so many to safety and who gave their lives rescuing your children. You were the son who comforted his grieving mother. You were the daughter who consoled her little sister and calmed her fears before she went to bed and assured her not to be afraid, that she would not be in harms way last night.
You Lord, wre the young girl who held the stranger until help came. It was you Lord who was the elderly woman who waited in line for two hours to give blood. You Lord, were the business owner who opened his shop in Manhattan and fed total strangers because they had nothing to eat and nowhere to go. You were the eyes of a nurse who looked into a child's eyes as they took their last breath.
And finally, God, at the end of the day you welcomed thousands of people of all ages, religions and race into your kingdom, to your promise of everlasting life. Our prayer this morning is that you embrace them dear Jesus, console and guide their friends and family in the days, weeks and months ahead.
We know God that through the ages you have taken ordinary people and have acted through them and have had do extraordinary things in yor name. You have promised that you will always be there for us. And so it was yesterday, September 11, 2001, in D.C. and in Lower Manhattan. In in a world that seems to border on insanity--you kept your promise--you were there in our midst. Thank you for helping us see.Thank you, Lord. for sending saints and angels among us at our darkest times.
God bless America.
We dedicate all our thought words and actions...
Likrat Shabbatby Jack Riemer
We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to end war;
For we know that You have made the world in a way
That man must find his own path to peace
Within himself and with his neighbor.
We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to end starvation;
For you have already given us the resources
With which to feed the entire world
If we would only use them wisely.
We cannot merely pray to you, O God,
To root out prejudice,
For you have already given us eyes
With which to see the good in all men
If we would only use them rightly.
We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to end despair,
For you have already given us the power
To clear away slums and to give hope
If we would only use our power justly.
We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to end disease,
For you have already given us great minds with which
To search out cures and healing,
If we would only use them constructively.
Therefore we pray to You instead, O God,
For strength, determination, and willpower,
To do instead of just to pray,
To become instead of merely to wish.