New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg decided to ban clergy-led prayer from all 9/11 observances. It was just too controversial, too divisive, too politically incorrect, and too much trouble to keep from offending people, so he did what politicians always do—take the easy way out. Aren’t we glad those first responders didn’t take the easy way out ten years ago?
Ten years ago, it wasn’t easy for those firefighters to rush into those burning buildings. And it sure wasn’t easy for Todd Beamer and the other brave passengers to storm the cockpit of Flight 93. They did it because it was right and it had to be done. Ten years ago, Father George Rutler spent the morning of 9/11 hearing the confessions of fire fighters entering the soon-to-collapse building. Some didn’t make it out. And in the days that followed he suffered exhaustion from conducting funeral Masses. Yet he was not welcome at the Ground Zero commemoration.
Ten years ago on Flight 93, it is a little-know fact that before Todd Beamer uttered his now iconic last words, “Let’s roll,” he recited the Lords Prayer with Lisa Jefferson, the GTE Airfone operator.
I’m glad that we as a people are better than our politicians. We proved it on 9/11, and we prove it every day. I believe most people would agree that America needs prayer more than politics.