National Day of Prayer, 2012

Proclamation 8812 of May 1, 2012

National Day of Prayer, 2012

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Prayer has always been a part of the American story,
and today countless Americans rely on prayer for
comfort, direction, and strength, praying not only for
themselves, but for their communities, their country,
and the world.

On this National Day of Prayer, we give thanks for our
democracy that respects the beliefs and protects the
religious freedom of all people to pray, worship, or
abstain according to the dictates of their conscience.
Let us pray for all the citizens of our great Nation,
particularly those who are sick, mourning, or without
hope, and ask God for the sustenance to meet the
challenges we face as a Nation. May we embrace the
responsibility we have to each other, and rely on the
better angels of our nature in service to one another.
Let us be humble in our convictions, and courageous in
our virtue. Let us pray for those who are suffering
around the world, and let us be open to opportunities
to ease that suffering.

Let us also pay tribute to the men and women of our
Armed Forces who have answered our country's call to
serve with honor in the pursuit of peace. Our grateful
Nation is humbled by the sacrifices made to protect and
defend our security and freedom. Let us pray for the
continued strength and safety of our service members
and their families. While we pause to honor those who
have made the ultimate sacrifice defending liberty, let
us remember and lend our voices to the principles for
which they fought--unity, human dignity, and the
pursuit of justice.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 3,
2012, as a National Day of Prayer. I invite all
citizens of our Nation, as their own faith directs
them, to join me in giving thanks for the many
blessings we enjoy, and I call upon individuals of all
faiths to pray for guidance, grace, and protection for
our great Nation as we address the challenges of our
time.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand
twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of
America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.