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Lord God.  Lord Jesus.  Lord Jehova.  Lord Allah.  Have mercy on my sou

Oh Lord, how long 'til I awake without the stench of blood and ashes in

my mouth, without the bile of violence arising in my throat?  How long

before these nightmare scenes no longer haunt my very being every time

I close my eyes?  How many times must I relive this shock from day to day

From hour to hour how long must I endure this savage raw atrocity?

Oh Lord, assuage my grief that hears again, again, the awful silence in

the moment of the flash.  Assuage my grief that cried out, "No! This cannot be!

This is not happening!" Assuage my grief that raised my fists in rage against

this vicious act. Assuage my grief that weeps such tears as seem to wish no end.

Lord, reconcile me to what this horror is that has befallen her

Oh Lord, may I find justice, peace.  I ache so desperately to deeply hurt

the hatred that has wrought this dreadful deed.  But stay my hand; let me not lash

out in mindless fury, Lord. Although I never will forget, I pray

in time I may forgive.  May I be ever mindful of the empathy

and the compassion that my brothers and my sisters share with me toda

Oh Lord, let not this gaping wound, this mound of dust and jagged steel and rock

and shattered hearts and broken dreams, become an ugly scar upon my soul;

but rather, let arise a monument to those who perished here.  Remove

this blinding pall; restore my vision.  Lord, let not this evil celebrate

America's demise; but let us all rebuild and live and love agai

09-17-2001