09/11/2026
Today marks 25 years since the September 11 attacks, a tragedy that reshaped our world forever. We remember the devastating moments when American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower at 8:46 AM, followed by the second impact at 9:03 AM, the attack on the Pentagon, and the heroic struggle of the 40 passengers and crew aboard United Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. In total, 2,977 innocent lives—including civilians, passengers, and brave first responders—were lost that day.
In the decades since, the consequences of this tragedy have continued to ripple globally and locally. The widespread military response that followed resulted in the loss and injury of hundreds of thousands of civilian and military lives, leaving a legacy of instability across the Middle East. Meanwhile, the crisis at home continues to unfold. Just this week, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani released over 170,000 pages of previously undisclosed records revealing that city officials knew the air quality around Ground Zero was unsafe, despite public assurances at the time. The human cost of that toxic exposure is staggering: the World Trade Center Health Program reports that 8,000 people have since died from related illnesses, and another 45,000 have been diagnosed with 9/11-related cancers.
As we reflect during this Season of Creation, we are called to hold space for both the beauty of our world and the profound grief of its wounds. We mourn the tremendous loss of human life and the lasting harm inflicted upon our shared environment. Remembering this pivotal moment in history is a vital call to action—to demand the environmental regulations and justice necessary to heal our planet, to respect all human life, and to actively pursue peace for a world in desperate need of love
