Independence Day Prayer
Lord, we stand today as our forefathers have stood before You in times gone by,
Celebrating our history and reveling in all the great things that our country has achieved.
On this day we rejoice in the favor You have graciously given us.
We thank You for the blessings of liberty, for this generation and for the generations to come.
We thank You for our independence, peace and for all those who have bravely given their lives in the defense of freedom and justice.
We thank You that Your gracious and provident hand has given us so much.
On this day we commit ourselves to wholeheartedly honoring and serving You.
With everything that we are, we lay our lives before You.
Make us a generous people,
A holy nation,
A people set aside to love You forever,
For the sake of the land of the brave and free,
And the peoples and nations of this world.
The Columbans are a society of missionaries, including priests and lay people, who minister to people of various cultures as a way of witnessing to the universal love of God.