For the Men and Women of the Armed Forces

I am blessed to count a number of members of the different services among my dear friends. As they are called to active duty, or moved from the home front overseas, I offer the following prayer on their behalf. As my genius does not lie this way, I have borrowed heavily from the Third Army Chaplain, Col. Paul Harkins, and his famous prayer at Bastogne.

Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain the storm which threatens. If more fighting is to come, graciously hearken to our soldiers who call upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, they may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies and establish Thy justice among men and nations. Amen.