Praise And Amen

September 14, 2001

The Prayer Service today initiated by President Bush was an inspiration. It was unimportant that my particular theological nuances were not expressed. The service was majestic, thoughtful; and beautiful in music, people, color, symbolism.

In THE WINTER’S TALE (Act 1, Sc. l), Shakespeare has Archidamus say to Camillo,

“I speak as my understanding instructs me,
and as my honesty puts it to utterance.”

In the days and nights since the terrorist attacks of September 11, like millions of others, I was glued to the TV. There is much to be said and remembered about the grief, rage, the unstinting heroic actions of firemen and policemen, some of whom sacrificed their lives in the service of others; and the uniting of the people of our land. But for this Musing, I want to tell how that prayer service in the National Cathedral gave me a strong sense that our nation’s principles and people not only share a common heritage but also I glimpsed a future buoyed by hope. There is progress on the road to recognition of everyone as part of one world family.

First of all, I was deeply moved by the persons participating in the service.

The service was opened and closed by the Rev. Jean Holmes [Dixon] who is Bishop pro tempore of the National Cathedral. The opening scripture and prayer were delivered by the Rev. Nathan Baxter, Dean of the Cathedral, an Afro-American. Anyone in my age bracket must be astonished and heartened by these leaders of the Cathedral. In my early lifetime that a woman and an Afro-American should hold these important clergy posts would have been unbelievable. I praise the Episcopal Church for selecting leaders who, because of what they are, affirm the oneness of all our people.

The roster of other leaders of the service was equally inspirational. Not only what they said, but who they were:

A Moslem imam
A Jewish rabbi
An evangelical preacher, Billy Graham
A Roman Catholic Cardinal
[A] minister of the United Methodist Church, Houston, an Afro-American.

The service was deeply appropriate and truly ecumenical, and, dare I say it – universalist. I have not been a fan of President Bush, but in calling for this service, along with his plain but effective words in the service were uplifting in a week when the whole country was shocked and sorrowing. I will probably disagree and criticize him again, but in this traumatic week, he has demonstrated excellent presidential leadership.

Then too, in the service was the excellent children’s choir. Note the wording – not boys’ choir, but children’s choir, for were girls among their number. Furthermore, I have seldom heard a soprano as superb as the soloist – she was a beautiful Afro-American.

We are a nation of ALL of our people. That was the impact and message of this historic service.

In HENRY V (Act IV, Sc. iv), the King says to Gloucester:

“There is some soul of goodness in things evil,
Would men observingly distill it out.”