Flag Day Prayer

If one looks, prayer can be found associated with many, if not most, of our state and national events. Today is Flag Day, started officially in 1877 on the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the 13-star flag in 1777.

Because of the nature of the day, it might be good to look at a prayer offered by House Chaplain Rev. Daniel P. Coughlin on June 1, 2007, which was offered specially for our nation's flag:

Lord God, early founders of the nation on this day in 1777 adopted a flag to symbolize their solidarity in defense and in belief of a new type of republic. They selected stars and stripes to speak both of colonial individuality as state rights drawn upon a broader field of federal identity.

Lord, our pledge as a people means even more in today’s world on this Flag Day. Fill us with promising hope and peaceful unity as we stare at the starry sky. Enable us to reach out further and further in the broad bands of freedom and compassion to fellow citizens of this world most in need.

Lord, may this flag, before which we stand, be a mirror of this people and a sign of promise to others, that equal justice under governing law assures progressive victory over egoism and evil, both in times of prosperity and adversity, in times of war, and peace.

In our allegiance, we witness to “one nation under God” as a promise of what others in this world can yet become. For this, we Americans stand together today, proud and strong, both now and forever.

Amen.

As found on Congressman Dan Lungren's page:
http://lungren.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=64&parentid=45&sectiontree=6,45,64&itemid=328