A Concord Pastor Comments: Prayer and Song at Mass on 9/11

In my parish we remembered the tenth anniversary of 9/11 in simple ways.

Of course, the readings of the day for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, offered rich texts in which to ground our celebration and prayer. We prayed the collects from the Mass for Peace and Justice and Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation II. One petition related to the events of 9/11 was added to the Intercessions. The only musical choice made with reference to the day was our closing song, This Is My Song. Our pew books offer verses 1, 2 and 5 of those below.

Tune: FINLANDIA, Jean Sibelius (1899)
Vv. 1-2: Lloyd Stone (1912-1992)
Vv. 3-5: George Harkness

This is my song, O God of all the nations,
a song of peace for lands afar and mine;
this is my home, the country where my heart is;
here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine:
but other hearts in other lands are beating
with hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

My country's skies are bluer than the ocean,
and sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine;
but other lands have sunlight too, and clover,
and skies are everywhere as blue as mine:
O hear my song, thou God of all the nations,
a song of peace for their land and for mine.

This is my song, O God of all the nations,
a prayer that peace transcends in every place;
and yet I pray for my beloved country --
the reassurance of continued grace:
Lord, help us find our oneness in the Savior,
in spite of differences of age and race.

May truth and freedom come to every nation;
may peace abound where strife has raged so long;
that each may seek to love and build together,
a world united, righting every wrong;
a world united in its love for freedom,
proclaiming peace together in one song.

This is my prayer, O Lord of all earth's kingdoms,
thy kingdom come, on earth, thy will be done;
let Christ be lifted up 'til all shall serve him,
and hearts united, learn to live as one:
O hear my prayer, thou God of all the nations,
myself I give thee -- let thy will be done.