O Holy and Gracious God,
Our nation was founded on the belief that You imbued in the souls and bodies of ordinary men and women certain inalienable rights. And it has been these ordinary citizens who have protected and cherished these rights for almost two and half centuries.
In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt reminded us that “the foundation stone of national life is, and ever must be, the high individual character of the average citizen.”
Each of us carries on our individual shoulders the shared burden and privilege of upholding our nation’s well being.
Creator of Life and Liberty, may You make us ever mindful that our personal choices and actions impact the society that we live in, affecting not only ourselves, or our local community, but our nation itself. May we never forget that since our country’s founding, it has been the sum total of our individual actions, our acts of courage, expressions of kindness and compassion, and a commitment to community, that has shaped, strengthened, and united us all. And may each and every one of us always remember that the wellbeing of our nation is not someone else’s responsibility, but it is all of ours. May this be God’s will-AMEN.
