Divine Balm of Healing,

Today we remember the beautiful September morning
when the sky became filled with soot,
when terror robbed the joy of our neighbors.

The ones who relive trauma day after day from those scenes
and the ones whose hearts still ache from their loss
never live far from our minds.

May beautiful stories open for the children who never knew their parents
and may the widows and widowers find the gentle rains of peace.

May the first responders who struggle with ongoing health issues find the healing they need,
and may we remember the ones who died since that September day in 2001.

May we work with our neighbors of all faiths, races, perspectives, abilities, orientations, and identities
to craft a world where Divine love reigns, where justice heals, and where mercy unites.

May we labor together to build a world where hate lives no more,
where words of malice fall away,
where actions of brutality dissipate,
and where terrorism and genocide and oppression have no home.

May our country and every other nation find blessings,
and may we be a blessing to those within our nation and our neighbors across this earth.

Amen.