Today is the 75th anniversary of the landings on the beaches of Normandy. President Franklin Roosevelt spoke to the nation about the events of that historic day and offered this prayer:
June 6, 1944
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 good will 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 arrogancies. 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.
