A Prayerful Response to 9/11

This is a prayer by my friend Ryan Hansen in response to 9/11

Our Heavenly Father,

We come in contrition and humility asking once again for grace and forgiveness that flow freely from the wounds of your crucified Son.

We confess to you that we have repaid an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, we confess to you that we have not turned the other cheek, we confess to you that we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves, we confess to you that we have worshipped idols of our own creation; we have bowed down to the gods of national security and market stability.

We have not hungered and thirsted for your body and blood. We have not loved you with all of our hearts, with all of our souls, with all of our minds, or with all of our strength.

Forgive us Lord, and have mercy. Oh God, who identified with the weak and lowly and sinful, send your Spirit that we might be blown onto the path that is the life of your crucified Son. Liberate us from those who would tell us that Jesus is not sovereign over all the earth; forgive us for listening to those who would tell us that violence is the means by which he is sovereign.

Forgive us Lord for gaining the world but losing ourselves. Grant us peace and grace; we pray that we may take up our cross and may truly be the Body of Christ Jesus. It is with repentance and thanksgiving that we turn from our wicked ways by the working of your Holy Spirit.

We pray these things in Jesus name, remembering that his body was broken for and with us, Amen.