A 20th Anniversary Commemoration
Hosted by Jane Clayson Johnson
I’m here in Essex County, New Jersey at the Eagle Rock September 11th Memorial, overlooking Manhattan Island. On that morning, twenty years ago, I was in the city, co-anchoring a national network news program.
As live reports of the attacks went out, the world turned its eyes to the twin towers. Never before had so many, in so many nations, witnessed a tragedy like this one—in real time. Families, neighbors, students, and co-workers watched the coverage side-by-side. And here, on this hill, thousands gathered to grieve and comfort one another in-person.
Later, we learned that citizens from more than 50 countries lost their lives that day. Truly, the wounds of 9/11 were felt by the entire human family. And, as we suffered together, seeds of compassion, mutual understanding, and tolerance began to grow among us.
9/11 also turned our attention to firefighters, policemen, paramedics, and other emergency personnel. Many of these first responders were not on duty when the tragedy struck, but they answered a call from within. For them, rushing to the rescue was more than a job. It was a mission. And fulfilling that mission meant putting others’ needs above their own.
Looking back, the tragic attacks of 9/11 showed us something about ourselves—what we’re actually capable of doing to help one another. Across the world, a more gentle, humane spirit was evident in the public square—in schools, communities, and workplaces. Many remarked that people were just a littler kinder, more tolerant, and patient. Remembering and reviving that aspect of September 11th is how we pay tribute to all who have suffered its effects. As one American leader said, “Even the smallest act of service, the simplest act of kindness, is a way to honor those we lost, a way to reclaim that spirit of unity that followed 9/11.”[1]
In September 2001, rising above tragedy meant coming together. And for a brief moment, many found that the world could indeed be one in hope and unity. Believing that again now is the legacy of 9/11 for the rising generation—a legacy they can’t afford to be without, and a gift we will be blessed to give them.
[1] President Barak Obama, from Weekly Address: “Observing 9/11 with National Service,” August 27, 2011.
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Sunday, September 12, 2021
Broadcast Number 4800
The Tabernacle Choir
Orchestra at Temple Square
Performer: Jane Clayson Johnson – Narrator
Conductors
Mack Wilberg
Ryan Murphy
Wayfarin’ Stranger
American folk song; arr. Mack Wilberg
Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep, from White Christmas
Irving Berling; arr. Michael Davis
Angels among Us
Becky Hobbs & Don Goodman; arr. Sam Cardon
You Raise Me Up
Rolf Løvland; arr. Nathan Hofheins
One Person, from Dear World
Jerry Herman; arr. Ryan Murphy
Peace like a River
African-American Spiritual; arr. Mack Wilberg
He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands
African-American Spiritual; arr. Mack Wilberg