God of Mercy, amidst the sound of crashing buildings and the silence of a city never silent, we make our confession.

We confess our fears.

(silence)

We confess the fear that evil has won, and that Love has been vanquished.

We confess our need to punish and hurt and hate those who have hurt us so deeply.

We confess the desire to escape from it all even as billows of ash in the northeastern sky reminded us of what had occurred.

Forgive us God.

Forgive us... and help us to forgive.