President Obama Calls on Americans to 'Reflect on Sacredness of Life' on Nat'l Day of Prayer
President Obama issued his annual proclamation declaring the first Thursday in May as the National Day of Prayer, a long-standing 62-year tradition that began with Democratic President Harry Truman.
This year's theme for the National Day of Prayer is a call for believers to "pray for America," and it echoes the words of Martha Washington, by honoring today as a day to "remember that God is our only sure trust." The scripture selected this year is Matthew 12:21, which reads: "In His name the nations will put their hope."
In his proclamation, the president asks all Americans of faith to pray for healing for the nation following the aftermath of the violent shootings in Newtown, Conn., the Boston Marathon bombings, and the fertilizer plant explosion in the town of West, Texas. He also requests prayers for the first responders who put themselves in harm's way to protect their fellow Americans, and for the safety of the members of the U.S. Armed Forces and the families.