National Day of Prayer, 2016

Proclamation 9441 of May 4, 2016

National Day of Prayer, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

In times of steady calm and extraordinary change alike,
Americans of all walks of life have long turned to
prayer to seek refuge, demonstrate gratitude, and
discover peace. Sustaining us through great uncertainty
and moments of sorrow, prayer allows us an outlet for
introspection, and for expressing our hopes, desires,
and fears. It offers strength in the face of hardship,
and redemption when we falter. Our country was founded
on the idea of religious freedom, and we have long
upheld the belief that how we pray and whether we pray
are matters reserved for an individual's own
conscience. On National Day of Prayer, we rededicate
ourselves to extending this freedom to all people.

Every day, women and men use the wisdom gained from
humble prayer to spread kindness and to make our world
a better place. Faith communities at home and abroad
have helped feed the hungry, heal the sick, and protect
innocents from violence. Nurturing communities with
love and understanding, their prayer inspires their
work, which embodies a timeless notion that has kept
humanity going through the ages--that one of our most
sacred responsibilities is to give of ourselves in
service to others.

The threats of poverty, violence, and war around the
world are all too real. Our faith and our earnest
prayers can be cures for the fear we feel as we
confront these realities. Helping us resist despair,
paralysis, or cynicism, prayer offers a powerful
alternative to pessimism. Through prayer, we often gain
the insight to learn from our mistakes, the motivation
to always be better, and the courage to stand up for
what is right, even when it is not popular.

Each of us is an author in our collective American
story, and in participating in our national discourse
to address some of our Nation's greatest challenges, we
are reminded of the blessing we have to live in a land
where we are able to freely express the beliefs we hold
in our hearts. The United States will continue to stand
up for those around the world who are subject to fear
or violence because of their religion or beliefs. As a
Nation free to practice our faith as we choose, we must
remember those around the world who are not afforded
this freedom, and we must recommit to building a
society where all can enjoy this liberty and live their
lives in peace and dignity.

On this day, may our faiths enable us to sow the seeds
of progress in our ever-changing world. Let us resolve
to guide our children and grandchildren to embrace
freedom for all, to see God in everyone, and to
remember that no matter what differences they may have,
they, just like we, will always be united by their
common humanity.

The Congress, by Public Law 100-307, as amended, has
called on the President to issue each year a
proclamation designating the first Thursday in May as a
``National Day of Prayer.''

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim May 5, 2016, as

National Day of Prayer. I invite the citizens of our
Nation to give thanks, in accordance with their own
faiths and consciences, for our many freedoms and
blessings, and I join all people of faith in asking for
God's continued guidance, mercy, and protection as we
seek a more just world.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand
sixteen, and of the Independence of the United States
of America the two hundred and fortieth.