O Lord who taught us all to love our neighbors as ourselves,^[1] Cf. Leviticus 19:18  
we pause now, before this Senate session starts,
to recall that on this day–in 1881–
and in this city–Washington, DC–
Clara Barton and a group of friends
founded the American Red Cross.

To love our neighbor as ourselves . . .
and then, to not sit idly by that neighbor’s blood–^[2] Cf. Leviticus 19:16  
the suffering that he or she endures–
without doing what we can
to ease the burden and the pain,
has been the call to which so many Red Cross workers
have responded since that day,
throughout our land;
and reaching out to those who serve in our Armed Forces overseas–
throughout the world, as well.

Almighty God,
we give our thanks for those who give their all,
who do their best to comfort those in pain.
But we pray as well to be inspired by their work,
to understand we all can make a difference in our neighbors’ lives,
a difference in our Nation’s strength,
a difference in our world.
Help us help one another do our part
to build the world of peace,
the time of joy,
for which we pray.

And may we say,
Amen.