Both police speakers alluded to the prophet Isaiah, quoting him from the Bible –and one to Christ.
A joke told by the police chief: God made firemen for children to look up to; God made policemen for firemen to look up to.
One of them said, “You might think that we think of family first when charging into a building –but no, our mind is on the task at hand –more like, “O poop –look at all the steps!!” (I think "poop" was the sanitized word for the children present!)
The music was prepared in only 2 weeks of school with a few show choir kids coming in 2 weeks early. Sacred piano pieces were played in prelude by a school administrator followed by the high school girls singing Heavenly Voices –an absolutely beautiful piece of collegiate difficulty with ethereal effect of repeated Alleluias. The National Anthem was well-done by a student duet, a Latino boy and caucasian girl.Police and fire officials opened and closed with prayer. All the firemen and police in their uniforms recessed in and processed out with a big, talented, Scottish-clad bagpiper leading them –who also did a rendition of Amazing Grace. Highschoolers did a flawless trumpet duet of Taps with echoes at the end.
The 6th grade sang tunefully and stoutly from memory (learned in 2 weeks!) “There’s a Hero on the Way” (available on the internet --see the video used accompanied by the song) --so honoring to all the police and firemen seated in the front rows. It showed rescuers in action and looking battle-weary in various situations typical of their work.
The high school choir did 3 beautiful numbers and got a thunderous standing ovation: Salute to our Heroes –incorporating narration and America, the Beautiful. They sang an arrangment of God Bless America by Irving Berlin (Jewish) –and In Remembrance –by Jeffery Ames –a college-level piece sung in Latin and English with Fr. horn and amazing vocal harmonies.
In Remembrance included The Lord’s Prayer (as taught by Christ.) The director reminded the audience that this prayer was recited by Todd Beamer –on the phone with an operator –from the plane of United Flight 93. (According to this account, other passengers also joined Beamer in reciting “The 23rd Psalm” together before he said the famous “Let’s Roll.”)
There was a Moment of Silence –the tolling of the Bell.
Mayor Bloomberg’s secular idea of a memorial service couldn’t compare to this one.
ACLU and terrorists –too bad for you. Let freedom ring! (Quote)"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible
I admit I was still in bed when my grad student daughter came up to turn on the tv in my room–“Mom, you gotta see this –the Trade Center was attacked!” My husband had taken the kids up in the buildings on a previous NYC school trip –probably 8 years earlier. And then we saw the 2nd tower hit and both of them fall to the ground. People jumping out to escape the fumes and flames –preferring a different death –and people running, running, running.... we were stunned –what would some unnamed enemy do next? what other buildings and planes? What more was coming? Who had it in for us?
I was touched by Great Britain’s official service for us afterward –and all prayers, remarks of brotherhood with America –and the great old hymns of English/European Christendom they sang. As with the royal wedding, I thought, “God isn’t dead yet in Europe –in the important times, they acknowledge the Book and the Judeo-Christian God and Christ of their fathers.”
Many Americans also looked to God and church for comfort in the aftermath of 9/11.
"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible