A Portal for God's Peace We warmly welcome single persons, people of all races and families of every kind.   Sunday Service: Holy Eucharist at 9:30 am Child care is available   Church of Our Saviour 191 Flanagan Way (Rt 153) Secaucus, NJ 07094 Map and Directions   Tel: 201-863-1449 Fax: 201-863-1474 Mark A. Lewis, Vicar MLewis@secaucus.org Dorothy Fowlkes Pastoral Associate   This page revised 16 Sep 01 http://www.secaucus.org/ oursaviour		The Church of Our Saviour in the Town of Secaucus, New Jersey Home | Welcome | News | Sunday | Bulletin | Sermons Bookshop | Stewardship | Justice | Community | Links ----------------Leave frames---------------------   Some Thoughts on the WTC Attack Ecumenical Service Buchmueller Park, Secaucus on the 15th Sunday after Pentecost 16 September 2001 By The Rev. Mark A. Lewis, Vicar There has been much talk these last few days about the fact that America is changed forever by what happened on Tuesday in New York and Washington. And I agree. Some changes are obvious and immediate. Lives have been cut short. There are many more widows and orphans today than there were Monday. Many parents have experienced what parents fear most of all: the death of a child. It is with these people that we stand in solidarity. It is to these people that we as a nation, and individually, will offer comfort. It is for these people we pray. Other changes are less immediate but just as lasting. Perhaps we will never again know certain freedoms in the same way that we took for granted until Tuesday. Only time will tell. To those changes we will adjust, for, if nothing else, we are a resilient people. A century ago we overcame the supposed freedom for one person to enslave another, as sure a sign as there is that in the end, a good people emboldened by a good cause can overcome many evils. Life will change, and can change, for the better. As awkward as offering comfort may be, and as difficult as changing our daily patterns of life might be, I must say that they pale in comparison to the real calling we have as a people of faith to make the most difficult change of all, a change of heart We are pulled in one direction by that old human desire for retribution. Such a course of action is in some way necessary for the public good, and I hope that you will join me in praying that our government will make sound decisions, unswayed by prejudice and hate. But I also hope that we will pray to change our own hearts so that ultimately the world around us realizes that violence and murder never reflect the mind of God. God never wills the pain and suffering so many have undergone this week, and as God's children we are called to look like the face of God in the world. For instance, we must proclaim that people who look or dress or believe differently from us are our equal, our brothers and sisters, not our enemies. It is only in changing ourselves that we will ever have a chance to put a final end to the type of horror that we have seen. It will not be easy. In some ways it goes against human nature. But we are here today, not only to remember what has happened, but to look to the future as well. We begin simply: we pray for victims, we pray for ourselves, and we pray for those who call themselves our enemies. And following those prayers, we will walk out of here and put our prayers to work in the world to bring about the lasting peace of God. Amen. -- Mark Lewis   Your comments or questions are welcome MLewis@secaucus.org. Links to additional "Reflections on Lessons" may be found at the bottom of the Sunday web page. © 2001 -Church of Our Saviour Home | Welcome | News | Sunday | Bulletin | Sermons Bookshop | Stewardship | Justice | Community | Links http://www.secaucus.org/oursaviour Webmaster - DRoberts@Secaucus.org

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