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Invocation and Remarks
The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, MSW
9/11 Memorial, Newport Fire Company, Newport, PA
September 12, 2021
9/11 Invocation
God, we thank you for the opportunity to gather together and to be with each other. We especially remember those who died from the attacks of 9/11, now 20 years ago. We remember those who have died in the intervening years from diseases caused by the debris from the attacks. We remember those who died in the intervening years serving in our armed forces in the armed conflicts that occurred as a result of these attacks. We remember all emergency service personnel, who hear the alarm bell, and rush to the call to save us, often risking their own lives. May our time together honor all of them.
O God, who created all peoples in your image, we thank you for the wonderful diversity of races and cultures in this world. Enrich our lives by ever-widening circles of fellowship, and show us your presence in those who differ most from us, until our knowledge of your love is made perfect in our love for all your children.
Amen (Book of Common Prayer, For the Diversity of Races and Cultures,p. 840)
Remarks
I don’t know if you have been like me, but this week I have watched a number of programs about 9/11. Honestly, I have almost had to turn them off; I couldn’t bear to watch those towers burning, the Pentagon on fire, the crash in Shanksville. I couldn’t bear to watch those towers fall once again. I couldn’t bear to watch the footage of the fire fighters at the Twin Towers, walking around on the ground floor or going up the stairs as people were rushing down the stairs and out of the buildings. I wanted to yell, “Don’t Go.” “Get Out!” Those buildings are going to collapse. “Don’t get on that plane.” Don’t go to work.” “Don’t go to your office.” Somehow I want the ending to be different.
But it’s not. And it’s 20 years, a score, a generation later. There are memorials in New York City, Shanksville, and at the Pentagon. Going through security at the airport and not taking water or liquids any larger than 3 ounces, seems normal. All the people who can remember that day have to be at least 22 years old.
And yet, it is almost like it just happened. Those of us who remember, know exactly where we were when we learned the news. We remember what a beautiful fall day it was and the bluest of skies. The date is seared in our minds and we feel badly for those who celebrate birthdays or other important life events on that day, because we know the shadow of September 11, 2001, hangs over it all. We know our lives changed and were upended in an instant.
Today, too, we are surrounded by emergency response equipment and the firefighters and EMTs who staff them. We are in this firehouse. We know so clearly on this remembrance day, the magnitude of what we ask of them.
In all kinds of weather, we ask them to respond when called upon. In all kinds of situations, we ask them to respond when called upon. They are our neighbors. They know us. And they hear those bells, they get the call, and they come rushing to our aid. They take risks many of us would not take just to keep us safe…just to help us. Sometimes they are the last face a person sees in this earthly life. They see us at our worst. They see us on the worst days of our lives.
They willingly do this work and risk their own lives in doing so. There are not enough words to thank them.
When we were planning this event, we talked about how we want to remember AND we also want to talk about what we have learned from that day and how we have done things differently as a result.
I watched a program this past week called “Memory Box: Echoes of 9/11.” After the events of 9/11, artist Ruth Sergel created a plywood video booth where people could record their memories of 9/11. She took the booth to New York City, Shanksville and the Pentagon. 525 people recorded their remembrances, mostly in 2002.
This year, documentary filmmakers David Benton and Bjorn Johnson, gathered a small group of those people and asked them to record what has happened to them in the last 20 years. There are two stories I want to share with you.
Sheila Moody was at her first day of work at the Pentagon. She brought personal items with her, including a novel to read during lunch and her Bible. When the plane hit the Pentagon, her office soon filled with smoke and there was fire nearby. She thought she was going to die and she said a prayer that she would be rescued. Christopher Braman was nearby and heard Ms. Moody’s voice calling out for help. He also prayed that he would have the strength to save Ms. Moody. He was able to lead her out.
Ms. Moody had second and third degree burns on various places of her body. She said that she made a decision soon afterwards that she needed to forgive the attackers. That because Jesus forgave her, she also needed to forgive. She did not want bitterness to take root in her, especially because she wanted her granddaughters to grow up without hatred, prejudice and bitterness towards other people.
We cannot let bitterness take root in us.
Donn Marshall’s wife, Shelly, worked at the Pentagon. He worked nearby. Their two young children were in the day care at the Pentagon. When he heard that a plane crashed into the building, he rushed to get the children. He found them and said it was both the happiest day of his life and the worst, because he knew if his wife was okay, she would have gotten there first. He knew Shelly had died.
A number of months later, he was cleaning out the car and found a notepad that his wife used to write grocery lists and other items on. On one of the pages, he found these words:
“We have only a finite number of days on this earth. Make each day extraordinary and fill them with passion.”
We have only a finite number of days on this earth. We need to make each day extraordinary and fill them with passion.
Memory Box: Echoes of 9/11 https://deadline.com/2021/07/9-11-msnbc-peacock-memory-box-1234797251/
