A Prayer for Remembrance and Peace on Memorial Day, by David Abernethy

Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=37138

open_content_license: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license

Date: 2021-05-17

Last Updated: 2024-06-01

Categories: Memorial/Decoration Day (last Monday of May)

Tags: 21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., American Jewry of the United States, civic prayers, English vernacular prayer, United States

Excerpt: A prayer for the observance of Memorial Day in the United States. . . .

Content:
Contribute a translation Source (English)

Our God and God of our ancestors,
as we [prepare to] observe another Memorial Day in America,
bless us with the gifts of memory and understanding,
that we may appreciate the true meaning of this [that] day,
an annual occasion to honor the brave men and women
who gave their lives for our country
and for their fellow citizens.

God of compassion,
let those who made the ultimate sacrifice,
so that we may live in freedom,
rest in peace,
honored by a grateful nation.
Remember their parents,
partners,
children
and all the loved ones they left behind.
Protect and comfort them;
bring them peace.

God of justice,
remind us of the debt we owe
to those who lost their lives in the defense of our nation,
and to the families that go on without them.
Fill the heart of every American
with pride in those who served,
and caring concern for their survivors.

May it be Your will
that every American be re-dedicated
to the task of building a nation
worthy of the sacrifices made by our honored dead.
And may it be Your will, also,
that all of us pursue a just peace throughout the world,
so that no more lives are lost in armed conflict
anywhere in Your creation.

And let us say Amen.

Contributor: David Abernethy

Co-authors:

Featured Image:
American flags
Title: American flags
Caption: American flags (credit: Lipton sale, license: CC BY-SA)