D-Day June 6, 1944 (73 years ago) and a Reminder That Prayer Shows We Care and Can Prepare for Life and Challenges...

I learned from marianne.com that D-Day (Departure Day, one of many during the war when an amphibious venture was made) was on June 6th in 1944. While 160,000 American, Canadian and British military soldiers set out to gain a 50-mile stretch of beach in Normandy, France to gain a foothold for the Allies to defeat the Nazis, many thousands lost their lives storming the beaches (and this was anticipated to be the case.) At dawn with some cover to help protect the men's unanticipated arrival by Hitler (who thought they'd be at Calais), the troops stormed the beaches, with 4413 killed early on.

A lottery was used to determine the order of the dangerous first rounds of troops to break ground, knowing there would be a high mortality rate. A 100 million people are reported to have tuned into FDR's D-Day Prayer at 10pm that night with the announcement of the ambitious event unfolding and which thankfully did in time give the Allies the victory needed to defeat the Nazis.

Now The text of FDR’s prayer:

"My fellow Americans: Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our allies were crossing the channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.

And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:

Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.

Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.

They will need thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.

They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest -- until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men’s souls will be shaken with the violences of war.

For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.

Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, thy heroic servants, into thy kingdom.

And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas -- whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them -- help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in thee in this hour of great sacrifice.

Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking thy help to our efforts.

Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.

And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.

And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment, let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.

With thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace, a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.

Thy will be done, Almighty God. Amen." (end of FDR's D-Day Prayer)

Marianne Williamson shares that she visited that historic 'haunting' site where some barges remain and where so many thousand brave souls laid down their mortal lives in combat. While it has been over 70 years since that day, it is fitting to remember these events and let them inform us for the times in which we live.

The battle grounds and lines are not always clear yet nonetheless important to decipher with caring insightful people so we have a prayer at not only individual or national survival but a shared humanitarian survival.

These are difficult times and some families have faced violence and loss in their immediate circles, whether intentionally committed or by accident.

Each loss 'awakens many souls anew' to the gift of life and is a time to renew a commitment to peace, justice, kindness, and safety from home to White House, to other nations.

We have one world and need one love to prevail as a way to honor the legacies of those who have journeyed on as well as those living with faith in the greater good and to allow for a positive future to unfold as new people are born onto our one small earth.

May this be so and hearts be connected with love tonight and as we journey through another year....