Remember, O LORD, what has come upon us.
God remembers our making and knows we are but dust, divinely formed, Spirit infused.
Remember, O LORD, the children of your making.
When the earth was flooded, God remembered Noah and all the animals that were with
him . . . And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided. A rainbow
appeared and the Lord said, “I will remember my covenant, which is between me and
you and every living creature of all flesh.
God remembered.
When God’s people sojourned to Egypt and found themselves enslaved, the Lord heard
the groaning of the children.
And God remembered the covenant made with Abraham and Sarah.
God led us out of slavery into freedom with a mighty hand, but we did not trust until
Moses begged on our behalf, “Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; turn away from stubbornness of this people, and consider not their wickedness or sin.
And God remembered.
God gave us Torah and a good land, but we forgot our Sovereign and found ourselves in
exile again. So we cried out,
Remember not, O God, our former sin, but save us with your tender
mercies.
And God said, “How can I forget my children? Though I spoke against them, I
remember them still. My heart yearns for them. I will surely have mercy on them,” says
the LORD.
God remembered and established an everlasting covenant with us.
Pregnant with Jesus Christ, Mary praised God, , “You have remembered the promise of
mercy.”
In Jesus Christ, God remembers us.
So God’s promise became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth.
God remembered.
You are a God who remembers us. In your Holy Spirit of the risen Lord Jesus Christ,
whom you did not forget in the grave, remember, now, O Lord, the innocents who died
ten years ago:
- Americans as well as 236 citizens from more than 90 other countries.
- 2977 victims and 19 hijackers
- 246 people on the four planes (excluding hijackers):
- 40 aboard United Flight 93 that went down in Shanksville, Pa.;
- 87 aboard American Flight 11, which was the first to hit the WorldTrade Center;
- 60 aboard United Flight 175, which was the second plane to hit the World Trade Center; and
- 59 aboard American Flight 77 that hit the Pentagon
- 2606 in New York City in the Twin Towers and on the ground
- 125 at the Pentagon, 55 of which were military personnel
- 411 emergency workers who responded to the scene, including
- 342 firefighters,
- 10 paramedics,
- 23 NYC police officers and
- 37 Port Authority officers
And God remembered.
God remembered.
God remembers.
- Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
- Sit five to fifteen minutes in silent meditation paying close attention to the deep breath.
- Remember the day eleven years ago.
- Remember where you were when you heard/saw the news.
- What feelings do you recall? Fear? Grief? Anger?
- God remembers. We remember.
- What do you recall about a nation rebuilding from Ground Zero?
- Where did you find reconciliation?
- Where were you given love?
- What community embraced you and held you?
- Remember how God held you together.
- From this place eleven years later, what feelings arise in you?
- What is God’s message for you?
- Give thanks to God for this time in prayer and for any new insights you have received.
- Share as you feel led in the reply box below.
Liturgy from the Presbyterian Church USA