Remembrance and prayer

The nation's church is on a hill overlooking the U.S. capital. Although it is the cathedral of the Episcopal Church's Diocese of Washington, the imposing Gothic structure has always served as the gathering place for the entire country whenever events lead Americans to seek religious solace and refuge.

Friday's service brought together people from all walks of life whose souls have been bruised by events that are impossible to fathom.

Representatives of our religious heritage offered comfort and assurance. A Muslim imam and Jewish rabbi walked together to the lectern. A Roman Catholic cardinal read the Gospel. A Methodist minister delivered an eloquent prayer for leadership. An itinerant Baptist preacher, now in his 80s and an icon of ministering to this nation's presidents, delivered the sermon. In it, the Rev. Dr. Billy Graham reminded us that we cannot know the answers to every question that has been raised by the terrorist attacks. He assured us God understands when our anger wells up. And he asserted the fundamental truth that our faith and the convictions of our hope for eternity can see us through this, the worst calamity any of us are likely to experience in our lifetimes.

The service brought together men and women who, by virtue of the democratic process, lead our civil authority. These same individuals are too often known for their bickering and, sometimes, harsh words that are drawn from the well of partisanship and political maneuvering. In this service of prayer and remembrance, elected adversaries stood shoulder to shoulder as mere mortals whose hearts are as easily crushed as that of a child who lost a parent in the World Trade Center.

The service drew every man still living who has served as this country's president, save one. As they sat in the pews of the enormous cathedral, these men who have endured world crises shared the fears, the confusion and the hopes of all those assembled to honor the dead, the dying, the injured, the missing, the rescuers and the agents of security who face the enormous task of making the nation safe. They too stood shoulder to shoulder for the common purpose of offering prayers for strength and courage.

The service brought together bureaucrats, lawyers, factory workers, doctors, mechanics, servicemen and servicewomen. People from all walks of life stood shoulder to shoulder and joined their voices in songs of praise. For many at the service, singing hymns -- or even attending a church service -- was obviously a rare experience. But they participated and drew together, because the agony of the week had forged bonds that will never be broken in this generation. The mighty pipe organ of the National Cathedral and its reverberating acoustics are enough, by themselves, to lift you into a special realm of grace. Few attendees at the service could fail to be moved deeply.

If there is one symbol that accurately describes the essence of Friday's service, it is the same symbol that has infected every aspect of national life since last Tuesday. We have come together in ways that simply were not possible a week ago. Major divisions have been set aside at every level of our private and public lives. Petty squabbles have been rendered meaningless. Anger over the minor annoyances of life in America has subsided. Hatred has melted into forgiving and understanding. Respect and dignity have moved us to a new, higher and better level of coexistence and personal relationships.

Shoulder to shoulder, we are now fully engaged in the awesome task of moving on to the needs and responsibilities of one great nation that has suffered a mighty blow, but remains a nation that continues to offer hope to the world and the brotherhood of mankind.

May Almighty God look with favor on this nation all the days of our lives.