麻豆社

This week Prayer for the day is commemorating and remembering the anniversary of 9/11 talking to people impacted and involved in the recovery work at the time and within communities in the 25 years since. With Rabbi Joseph Potasnik - Chief Chaplain at FDNY and in 2001 as a New York City fire chaplain, he spent countless hours and days at ground zero searching for survivors as well as comforting and praying with the grieving families

Good Morning.

A story is told that when God created the universe, he assigned different names to every flower. The next day God returned and asked each flower to repeat the name he had given to them. Each one responded except one. " Please tell me the name" asked the flower" I do not remember the one you gave me." God then responded "since you don't remember, I will give you a different name in Hebrew which will be "Al Tisgachaynee" meaning forget me not." That, according to Jewish tradition is the origin of the name of the flower.

On this, the 25th anniversary of September 11th, we can proudly say that we have not forgotten the many taken from us because of the inhumanity of those determined to destroy innocent life. We have not forgotten those who taught us that death may conquer life, but it cannot destroy love given the many who risked their lives to rescue lives.

We will not forget Captain John Viggiano Sr. who lost his sons on September 11th, one a policeman and the other a fireman. He spent the remainder of his life visiting military in hospitals, urging them to stay strong. We have not forgotten a young boy who spoke of his inextinguishable love for his father, a firefighter who died on that fateful day. He said 鈥渕y father used to give me a lot of toys. I will give you back the toys. Give me back my father.鈥� He perpetuated that loving legacy by becoming a firefighter himself.

We who witnessed the horror of September 11th will not say so many "passed away". Rather we say thank God they passed this way. We have not forgotten the pain of loss, but we also remember the privilege of love.

Amen

All American spellings are intentional