A New Patriotic Tradition
June 6, 2007 by Lillie
Today is the anniversary of D-Day, and there is a move afoot to create a new patriotic tradition and have radio stations around the country read the prayer of President Franklin Roosevelt that was broadcast to the nation on that day.
I thought the prayer was worth sharing:
My Fellow Americans:
Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our Allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.
And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:
Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.
Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.
They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.
They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest — until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men’s souls will be shaken with the violences of war.
For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.
Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.
And for us at home — fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas, whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them — help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.
Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.
Give us strength, too — strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.
And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.
And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment — let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.
With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace — a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.
Thy will be done, Almighty God.
Amen.
[tags]President Franklin Roosevelt, prayer[/tags]
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Great post. People forget stuff like this frequently during these trying times. Thank you for sharing a historically significant event.
What a beautiful prayer! It’s so important that we remember the prayers of our leaders.
Thanks, Steve.
Most of us can’t imagine what it was like during World War II, but my husband was a young child then and his stepfather was in the war.
Laura,
Many people don’t realize how much our leaders throughout history have been men of faith and prayer.
I am so humbled by prayers such as this. Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, was a whole different “cut of cloth” from the Democrats we have today. Franklin D Roosevelt (FDR) was the only President of the United States I ever knew for the first 11 or 12 years of my life. FDR became President when I was born (January 1933) and remained there through a good part of 1944…when he died. And to this day, I think FDR was surely one of the greatest Presidents in this nation’s history. He handled WWII brillantly. And that was a time whose beginning “will live in infamy”. May he rest in peace.
Mr Lillie 06 June 2007-63 years after D-Day
Well, this has not a lot to do with my location, but the soul knows no borders. Thank you for sharing this beautiful prayer, Lillie.
Send me a picture of you… why? Check out my last entry.
All my love,
Mig
I’ve never read that prayer before, and it’s so fitting, for this date in history as well as our current times… but then, I think prayer never falls out of relevance.
Thanks for posting this. I came a fair bit after Roosevelt’s time, but he was likely the best President we ever had… He was a democrat, but he was first a human being and citizen and he would try any route which looked best for the people he served, regardless of which ideology the solution came from… We need leaders like that today.
Jack,
I wasn’t making a political statement … just a patriotic one, sharing great words from a great leader - reminding us of the importance of prayer.
Mig,
I realize my patriotic posts don’t necessarily apply to many of my readers so I try not to overdo them. But, as you say, the soul knows no borders and people and countries around the world need prayer.
Merry,
I’d never read this prayer before either until I heard about the move to try to get it on radios on D-Day. As you say, it’s relevant to knowing history and relevant to what’s happening in the world today.
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