This is not political.

Five years ago today, I was walking through my dorm at MUC and noticed something about the World Trade Center on somebody's TV as I passed his room. It was an hour or so later when I found out what had happened.

Now, the world has changed in quite a few ways, but in other ways, it is the same as it has always been.

One thing that never changes is that God loves every single human being and wants us to love each other. Regardless of whether someone is Christian, Jewish, Muslim, atheist, American, French, Chinese, Iranian, young, old, man, or woman, we are commanded to love them (Luke 11:25-37).

Loving does not mean allowing evil, lies, or injustice. The best definition of love that I've heard is "willing the good of an other." Love is an act of the will.

So what does this mean for living in the world these days? I think it involves looking past political, social, and cultural borders and seeing people as human beings, created and loved by God. We are all in this together ... even the people who hate us.

I'm not even going to comment on the state of the United States or the "war on terror" from a political angle. That's not my area of interest. The important thing to remember is that, even in times of war, we are called to love one another (and that includes our enemies).

So, on the anniversary of an event that has affected people around the world, we need to pray:

Pray for peace and justice in the world.
Pray that leaders around the world act in accord with the dignity of human life.
Pray that all people can be free to come closer to God.
Pray that the Truth of God may be known.

Peace.