Greeting for the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance

The Rt. Rev. Jane Holmes Dixon
Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, pro tempore

President Bush, all of us who have come here this day, want you to know that we are grateful that you have called for this service and that you have brought such a multitude of God’s children to this cathedral church. People of many faiths are gathered to say to this nation and to the world for those who have lost their lives—innocent lives, in unspeakable tragedy, and through horrible violence visited on this nation—that those of us who are gathered here—Muslim, Jew, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Hindu—indeed, all people of faith—know that love is stronger than hate and that love lived out in justice will, in the end, prevail.

So we are grateful that all of you have come here this day and we want you to know as you gather that this is indeed a House of Prayer for All People. So we hope that you will let this place be a container for your grief. But in addition to that, we want you to know that the light that burns here—the light of love, the light of justice, the light of hope—shines brighter than any light in the world.

So come often, pray to God here, and let us be united so that we will make that message of love the message that the world needs to hear in this time of great tragedy.

President Bush has asked that later in this service there be an offering for those organizations and institutions that are reaching out to those lives which have been rent apart by this tragedy. So I am not ashamed to say to you today: Be generous in giving because there are many who will need our care in the days ahead.

Thank you, Mr. President, and welcome to all of you to the Cathedral Church of Saints Peter and Paul, the National Cathedral, and most importantly, a House of Prayer for All People.