NYC Series Volume 1: Reflection & Prayer at the 9-11 Memorial

Sep 14

EDITOR’S NOTE:

An excerpt from this postcard was originally published on social media on June 17, 2016 during our first trip to New York City.

Location: The 9-11 Memorial, New York City, NY.

Photo credit: Mica Olinghouse

Jeff and I had the sobering opportunity to visit Ground Zero this evening. We walked around the water memorials built to honor the 3000 people who lost their lives on that fateful day, 40% of whose bodies were never identified or found. The boisterous pace of the rest of the City is absent here; in its place is a hushed stillness and palpable, raw emotion.

Encircling the waterfalls located in the footprints of both towers are plaques etched with the names of the dead, the office floors where they worked, and the rescue squads from the police and fire departments. We quietly walked around the fountains, glancing at the many names whose eternities were sealed in a moment of time, and then sat motionless and silent on a bench nearby.

At 7:00, we took the tour through the museum, which held many artifacts, recordings, timelines, and documents from the attacks on 9-11. The museum indoors captivated the souls of the visitors just as much as the outdoor memorials. As people quietly milled through the exhibits, I noticed many fresh tears puddling in the eyes of those around me. For more than an hour, neither Jeff nor I spoke a word throughout the entire tour.

We are both moved by the impact still tangible in the air here. While we have set foot on other sacred grounds and memorials of fallen wartime heroes, this experience was much different. Unlike the Revolutionary War or World War II, this event marked our generation and its images are indelibly ingrained in our memories. We all know this war is not over, and it's imperative we the Church take our responsibility to pray very seriously for our nation in the days ahead. May God have mercy on America, and may His Spirit be poured out fresh and anew in this place.

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