Our world was forever changed on September 11, 2001. With the somber reverberations we feel on its anniversary (and every time we go to the airport) there have also been positive outcomes.
On the 15th anniversary of 9/11 our church held a community-wide service concert to honor our local first responders. The Sanctuary was full and we had speakers from no less than seven different faiths. It was from that event that a friendship developed with the East Plano Islamic Community and Imam Nadim Bashir. Our women’s group developed a fast friendship with one of the region’s leading Muslim female leaders, Dr. Hind Jarrah. These were positive outcomes from that inter-faith worship service commemorating that horrible tragedy.
For a little while, unless you were Muslim American or Indian American, there was a feeling of unity in our country that we had not experienced in a very long time. Those two groups of Americans unfortunately bore the brunt of fear and anger from too many in our country. But overall, there was a since of pulling together for the sake of freedom and democracy that was good and right. Now in 2022, I am praying for that spirit to arise again amongst all of us; God, our planet and our world of people need our country’s good and unified spirit again. Specifically, I would pray for our country what John Wesley prayed for the early Methodists:
Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion?
Without all doubt, we may. Herein all the children of God may unite, notwithstanding these smaller differences.
On this 9/11 Sunday as we continue our series, “Blest be the Ties that Bind,” I will lift up two examples of persons who took the intent of this prayer to heart. May we all do likewise, as our Lord of Peace calls us to do.
Connecting God and Grace to Self and Community,
