National Day of Prayer, 2013

Vol. 78

Monday,

No. 87

May 6, 2013

Part III

The President

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Proclamation 8974--National Day of Prayer, 2013

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 8974 of May 1, 2013

National Day of Prayer, 2013

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Americans have long turned to prayer both in times of
joy and times of sorrow. On their voyage to the New
World, the earliest settlers prayed that they would
``rejoice together, mourn together, labor, and suffer
together, always having before our eyes our commission
and community in the work.'' From that day forward,
Americans have prayed as a means of uniting, guiding,
and healing. In times of hardship and tragedy, and in
periods of peace and prosperity, prayer has provided
reassurance, sustenance, and affirmation of common
purpose.

Prayer brings communities together and can be a
wellspring of strength and support. In the aftermath of
senseless acts of violence, the prayers of countless
Americans signal to grieving families and a suffering
community that they are not alone. Their pain is a
shared pain, and their hope a shared hope. Regardless
of religion or creed, Americans reflect on the
sacredness of life and express their sympathy for the
wounded, offering comfort and holding up a light in an
hour of darkness.

All of us have the freedom to pray and exercise our
faiths openly. Our laws protect these God-given
liberties, and rightly so. Today and every day, prayers
will be offered in houses of worship, at community
gatherings, in our homes, and in neighborhoods all
across our country. Let us give thanks for the freedom
to practice our faith as we see fit, whether
individually or in fellowship.

On this day, let us remember in our thoughts and
prayers all those affected by recent events, such as
the Boston Marathon bombings, the Newtown, Connecticut
shootings, and the explosion in West, Texas. Let us
pray for the police officers, firefighters, and other
first responders who put themselves in harm's way to
protect their fellow Americans. Let us also pray for
the safety of our brave men and women in uniform and
their families who serve and sacrifice for our country.
Let us come together to pray for peace and goodwill
today and in the days ahead as we work to meet the
great challenges of our time.

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 2, 2013, as a
National Day of Prayer. I join the citizens of our
Nation in giving thanks, in accordance with our own
faiths and consciences, for our many freedoms and
blessings, and in asking for God's continued guidance,
mercy, and protection.

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