Today, on this day of remembrance of the tragic events of September 11, we gathered to pray for all the innocent victims of that terrorist attack. In the quiet of prayer, our hearts opened not only to those who died in New York more than twenty years ago, but also to all whose lives were taken unjustly and violently.
We also prayed for Iryna Zarutska, a young woman from Ukraine who sought peace and safety but was killed by the hand of violence. Her life reminds us how fragile human existence is, but also how precious every person is in God’s eyes.
We prayed for all those who have died in the war in Ukraine and in other parts of the world. Every tear that is shed, every voice that is silenced, every wounded soul is a cry to God, who is justice, mercy, and love.
These different tragedies are united by one truth: innocent suffering calls us to deeper faith, to hope that goes beyond death, and to love that is stronger than evil. Today our prayer became a bridge between past and present, between pain and hope, between death and resurrection.
May the Lord, the God of life, welcome all the departed into His embrace, and give us strength to be bearers of peace and truth in a world still filled with injustice and sorrow.