good morning and welcome to the deanery garden on this morning of friday the 11th of september we could look at lots of dates throughout history we could look at the births of composers like arvo part and william boyce and even george martin who enrich the repertoire of our singing but on this day some other thing overshadows everything because this is a day which most of us will never forget in 2001. it's 9 11 and it's patriot day for the citizens of the united states we've actually brought into our picture this morning the state roses of new york and the mountain laurel of pennsylvania and the dogwood american dogwood of virginia as we remember and also they're not in season so the pattern is here on the mug the daffodil which is the sign of rebirth out of death and in our reflections we shall think a great deal about this but this morning our hearts and minds are with the citizens of the united states as well as other areas of the world as we fight this pandemic and those who are desperately fighting fire in millions of homes in the western states of america at this time as they people flee their homes so all those things in our hearts and minds on this 9 11 september the 11th 2020. around me the work of the world is going on as it was on that tuesday morning 19 years ago and we say our morning prayers o lord open our lips and our mouth shall proclaim your praise may christ the day star dawn in our hearts and triumph over the shades of night blessed are you creator of all to you be praise and glory forever as your dawn renews the face of the earth bringing light and life to all creation may we rejoice in this day you have made and as we wake refreshed from the depths of sleep open our eyes to behold your presence and strengthen our hands to do your will that the world may rejoice and give you praise blessed be god father son and holy spirit blessed be god forever the night has passed and the day lies open before us let us pray with one heart and mind does we rejoice in the gift of this new day so may the light of your presence o god set our hearts on fire with love for you now and forever amen our psalm on this eleventh morning of the month is psalm 57 be merciful to me o god be merciful to me for my soul takes refuge in you in the shadow of your wings will i take refuge until the storm of destruction has passed by i will call upon the most high god the god who fulfills his purpose for me he will send from heaven and save me and rebuke those that would trample upon me god will send forth his love and his faithfulness i lie in the midst of lions people whose teeth are spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword be exalted oh god above the heavens and your glory over all the earth they have laid a net for my feet my soul is pressed down they have dug a pitch before me but will fall into it themselves my heart is ready o god my heart is ready i will sing and give you praise awake my soul awake harp and liar that i may awaken the dawn i will give you thanks o lord among the peoples i will sing praise to you among the nations for your lovingkindness is as high as the heavens and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds be exalted oh god above the heavens and your glory over all the earth our lesson from the acts of the apostles this morning continues chapter 12 and we start at verse 18 now when day came there was no little disturbance among the soldiers over what had become a peter and after herod searched for him and did not find him he examined the centuries and ordered that they should be put to death then he went down from judea to caesarea and spent time there now herrod was angry with the people of tyre and sidon and they came to him with one accord and having persuaded blastos the king's chamberlain they asked for peace because their country depended on the king's country for food on an appointed day herod put on his royal robes took his seat upon the throne and delivered an oration to them the people were shouting the voice of a god and not of a man and immediately an angel of the lord struck him down because he did not give god the glory and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last but the word of god increased and multiplied and barnabas and saul returned from jerusalem when they had completed their service bringing with them john whose other name was mark this is a lesson where historic time intersects the acts of the apostles and the story that luke is telling it's a short story but it's found in much more detail the death of heather de gripper the first in the writings of the historian josephus and luke in shorthand has got it quite right but he doesn't want to spend too much time on this so we don't get the full details first of herod's enormous anger and rage and his violence his autocratic despotic violence towards anyone who felt his anger the soldiers were put to death headed went back to caesarea furious in his anger the citizens of tyre and sidon come begging for peace but this rage of government rage against a people rage against anyone really was burning headed up we know that it's the year 44 for josephus tells us and history tells us that is when herod's reign ended and he died just as luke said by sudden illness not quite as sudden as luke would have but certainly josephus tells the story of how herod who was clearly fairly superstitious had heard when he was in rome the voice of an owl calling which told him at that time there would be good news for him he would come down and assume power as king over a greater area of territory than any had had since herod the great his grandfather now here he was as king of all that but nothing seems to satisfy him and on a particular day and this is josephus telling us as well as luke he put on beautiful silver garments called all the people together and gave the most marvelous speech and the people as was their won't and flattering to a despot to an absolute monarch called out it's like the voice of a god not of a human being and we're told by josephus that at that moment headed was aware of an owl on a bow above his head and he had been told that if a second owl cried it was a sign of his death here was the second now and he went home and the illness was fairly sudden make of that what you can but this is a day when history and dates cross right into luke's account but what does luke do he goes on like the daffodil blooming from death and destruction which was the will of herod and he tells how barnabas and saul return from jerusalem bringing mark and they go back to antioch and the church begins to grow again in a wonderful way well all of us will have particular memories or have had memories told us of the events of 9 11. i certainly remember where i was at the first moment of hearing the news and then watching the story unfold and obviously this is a a solemn day for the people of the united states but it's a day also when we think so what is that what is the legacy of 9 11 is it the legacy of those who had planned death and destruction or is it a different legacy i remember reading soon after an article written by the novelist ian mckeon and that was published in one of our national newspapers as we were coming to terms with the events of 9 11 and american citizens who had come on great cruise boats to dover holiday time were pouring into the crypt of the cathedral to have prayers said with them at this time ian mckeown tells the story of how the day unfolded and i just give an excerpt of that article a san francisco husband slept through his wife's call from the world trade center the tower was burning around her and she was speaking on her mobile phone she left her last message to him on the answering machine the building was on fire and there was no way down the stairs she was calling to say goodbye there was really only one thing for her to say those three words that all the terrible art the worst pop songs and movies the most seductive lies can somehow never cheapen i love you she said it over and over again before the line went dead and that is what they were all saying down their phones from the hijacked planes and the burning towers there is only love and then oblivion love was all they had to set against the hatred of their murderers and there's the legacy faithfulness and love the gifts of god as the psalmist said in our powerful psalm this morning in the midst of all this that is what the good news was about and the belief that light is stronger than darkness hope is stronger than despair love is stronger than death it was the messianic vocation the christ-like vocation of jesus and those who followed him so we're remembering this morning not just in the city of new york or the state of pennsylvania where brave passengers it seems caused the plane to crash rather than kill more and threaten more and the state of virginia we remember the thousands who died this was a day in 1776 when in conference park state and staten island uh british american peace talks failed before the the war of independence continued and went on conference house park is a wonderful place in staten island it's it's a lovely place to walk it's a way through also to look at the ocean but staten island now also has the most moving memorial to 9 11. it's simply called postcards and so it's a message from those who died on that day and it's a message again of love and faithfulness being handed on from horror that's what the memory now is of that day of courage and bravery of those re-entering buildings to fight fire passing people on the stairs as they went up to try to save life all those things those images stay in our hearts as well as the horror and the fragility of the societies that we build and must protect it was a day that the world changed there was no doubt about that but i was that day itself before coming home in paris and that night in the little restaurant that i was eating in the manager insisted that every american would have whatever they wanted on the menu free it was a time when hearts were opened and that love and that faithfulness is the memory of that it's the legacy we would want handed on on this day of 9 11. justice barnabas from the anger of headed the death he was calling causing in persecution because of his rage and absolute power this little section of the acts historical indeed ends with barnabas and saul and john mark setting out for antioch on a new beginning to break down barriers and give the message of love and hope of faithfulness and courage and the capacity of our humanity to show all these things to the world so let's say our prayers on this very important day 9 11. we pray particularly for everyone in the united states and for all faith leaders there at this time in our anglican communion today we're praying for the diocese of osun northeast in nigeria and for ebenezer okuyelu the bishop and his people and the diocese of castle and ossary in the church of ireland and for michael burrows and his people there pray for justin our archbishop and remember that his predecessor rowan williams was actually in new york and sheltering on a staircase very near to the twin towers on that particular day and believed at that time that this was going to be the end we give thanks for him too and we pray for rose bishop of dover for tim bishop at lambeth and today in the diocese for the parish of saint michael and all angels hobbled down and for peter handen in his ministry there we bring our own prayers for those that we would want to pray for on this day and give thanks for them and perhaps their own love and faithfulness to us in difficult situations and those who in the past have been shining lights in our lives almighty god who called your church to bear witness that you were in christ reconciling the world to yourself help us to proclaim the good news of your love that all who hear it may be drawn to you through him who was lifted up on the cross that reigns with you in the unity of the holy spirit one god now and forever amen so we say each in our own language the prayer our savior taught us our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom the power and the glory forever and ever are men moment of silence now remembering that when we are in deep grief and at national occasions whether it be the sign of the poppy of remembrance or the daffodil of remembrance silence is the best gift and tribute the peace of god which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of god and of his son jesus christ our lord and the blessing of god almighty the father the son and the holy spirit be upon you upon those whom you love and those whom you would pray for this day and always amen so [Music] me [Music] [Music] yes [Music] oh [Music] [Music] [Music] so [Music] oh [Music] so [Music] uh [Music] [Music] you