Remembering September 11th

I'm back in town today, but no blogoversary activities will go on today.  For those of you readers who are in the United States, please join me today in remembering the terrible atrocity committed against our country ten years ago just before 9:00 on a Tuesday morning in September 2001.  Take a moment today to reflect, look back, and remember those who perished in the worst terrorist attack on US soil in history.

I was barely in high school on that day, but I knew the moment I saw those horrible images from the World Trade Center that my life would never be the same.  I pray for the families of those who lost loved ones that day, and take a moment to remember and honor the heroes of that day.  The hundreds of those people who gave their lives in the chance that doing so might save just one more person from a terrible death.  These men and women are the true heroes of our day, whether they were rescue personnel, the passengers of United Flight 93, or just regular people off the street who helped others to safety during that terrible day.  Their unselfish actions perfectly exemplifying the scripture found in John 15:13, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

On the first Sunday in October after those attacks, the current president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at that time, Gordon B. Hinckley, gave a talk at the general conference of the church.  Over the last 10 years I have referred to this talk many times and it has given me great comfort when the distress of this attack has threatened to overwhelm me.  I share a few quotes from that talk that have especially touched me, as my way of rembering the day that our nation will never forget.  (Emphasis in the following paragraphs is mine.)

"You are acutely aware of the events of September 11, less than a month ago. Out of that vicious and ugly attack we are plunged into a state of war. It is the first war of the 21st century. The last century has been described as the most war-torn in human history. Now we are off on another dangerous undertaking, the unfolding of which and the end thereof we do not know. For the first time since we became a nation, the United States has been seriously attacked on its mainland soil. But this was not an attack on the United States alone. It was an attack on men and nations of goodwill everywhere. It was well planned, boldly executed, and the results were disastrous. It is estimated that more than 5,000 innocent people died. Among these were many from other nations. It was cruel and cunning, an act of consummate evil...

"Those of us who are American citizens stand solidly with the president of our nation. The terrible forces of evil must be confronted and held accountable for their actions. This is not a matter of Christian against Muslim. I am pleased that food is being dropped to the hungry people of a targeted nation. We value our Muslim neighbors across the world and hope that those who live by the tenets of their faith will not suffer. I ask particularly that our own people do not become a party in any way to the persecution of the innocent. Rather, let us be friendly and helpful, protective and supportive. It is the terrorist organizations that must be ferreted out and brought down...

"Now, brothers and sisters, we must do our duty, whatever that duty might be. Peace may be denied for a season. Some of our liberties may be curtailed. We may be inconvenienced. We may even be called on to suffer in one way or another. But God our Eternal Father will watch over this nation and all of the civilized world who look to Him. He has declared, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Ps. 33:12)...

"Let us be prayerful. Let us pray for righteousness. Let us pray for the forces of good. Let us reach out to help men and women of goodwill, whatever their religious persuasion and wherever they live. Let us stand firm against evil, both at home and abroad."

(For anyone who wants to read the whole talk, it can be found here).  

In remembrance of that day, may we never forget.