National Prayer for Peace

March 4, 1805 | President Thomas Jefferson

[Nasty McPhilthy]

Almighty God, Who has given us this good land for our heritage; We humbly beseech Thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of Thy favor and glad to do Thy will. Bless our land with honorable ministry, sound learning, and pure manners.

Save us from violence, discord, and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitude brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues.

Endow with thy spirit of wisdom those to whom in Thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that through obedience to Thy law, we may show forth Thy praise among the nations of the earth.

In time of prosperity fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in Thee to fail; all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

President Thomas Jefferson A National Prayer for Peace March 4, 1805

[dandelion]

I second that motion...

[GeronL]

National Prayer for the Destruction of our enemies and the enemies of peace and the enemies of freedom.

[cyborg]

LOL

[drlevy88]

Why such a dirty name?

[drlevy88]

This Tom Jeff guy is the one who took the scissors out and turned the gospels into a miracle-free humanist bible. And he is yet praying? Puts us to shame today when even a frank Christian president like George W. Bush can't pray without receiving numerous catcalls.

[GeronL]

Its Easter. I shall whip the bunny!

[NormsRevenge]

Mr. Jefferson sure had a way with words... and ideas.

Thanks for the post. :-)

[TEXOKIE]

bump

[Prospero]

Amen.

Interesting to see Jefferson as the author of what was, earlier in the past century, a standard prayer found in the American Episcopal "Book of Common Prayer."

I'm not an Episcopalian, but I saved such a book from recycling several years ago, and opened a meeting of Republicans, once, reciting it almost verbatum.

Thank for letting me know it was Jefferson.

Must have been meant to read this post. I needed to be reminded of Providence in the midst of sorcery, both foreign and domestic.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

Ah..you're not so nasty! :0)

[Smartass]

Easter

Easter Morning
As the world sings triumphant cries to heaven over death that You conquered, help us, Lord, tomorrow as well, when the dresses are put away and the candy is all eaten and on with life we go let us not forget.

The celebration of Your Resurrection over death is a celebration of life that should continue well beyond the sunrise service and the music, rehearshed for days prior; it is beyond the sign of spring beyond the lilly beyond new lambs grazing in open fields.

Resurrection is a daily celebration over fear; man's greatest and most powerful enemy. Fear of tomorrow, fear of our yesterdays, fear of what shall become of our young our old our unborn. Resurrection is replacing fear with physical action.

This alone, the most touching and profound of Your signs that fear is dead and belief in You brings, not just hope but life.

What better living parable could You have brought? All fear death. All. Even in the garden, You took on our fear if for only moments, it was as real as our fears can be real and You knew then that this single enemy must be destroyed.

And, You sacrificed Your life, leaving those who had been comfort, and follower; You left them behind, to conquer fear.

I shall cling to this now, and the tomorrows given me

Peace and Thanksgiving lifted unto You.

Amen.

[thoughtomator]

I take the St. Thomas Aquinas approach to peace these days... Oh Lord, give us peace, but not yet!

[VOA]

How about a real prayer (with slight modification) for our troops:

Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness,
to restrain these immoderate rains thugs with which we have had to contend.
Grant us fair weather for Battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call
upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory,
and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies and establish Thy justice
among men and nations.


Yep, that the prayer Msgr. O'Neill did for Gen. Patton.

[yankeedame]

"Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain these immoderate rains with which we have had to contend. Grant us fair weather for Battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies and establish Thy justice among men and nations."

Msgr. James H. O'Neill,Chaplain
3rd Army, Caserne Molifor, France
December 1944

[GeronL]

It works for me.

[redhead]

"Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain these immoderate rains thugs with which we have had to contend. Grant us fair weather for Battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies and establish Thy justice among men and nations."

Thanks for this. I was just sitting here (believe it or not) wishing for a prayer for VICTORY. Peace after VICTORY. Something like this:

Lord God, You have given us all the blessings of a free people, and the means to spread this freedom and these blessings throughout the world. Give us, therefore, the victory in this war, we pray.

Be with our dedicated fighting men and women and their superiors, and help them to make right decisions and strong choices, and keep them from fear and despair.

Make the war short and decisive, we pray, and bring our troops home alive and covered in glory from the power of their VICTORY over those who would oppress and kill their neighbors, all the while calling upon a counterfeit of Thy NAME.

May we who wait at home be steadfast in prayer and support for our wonderful troops; the flower of the youth of our nation. We pray all this in Thy Name, Lord. Amen.