On Thursday, May 6, 2021, early morning, the National Day of Prayer was held at the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters, downtown Los Angeles.
Annual National Day of Prayer
The National Day of Prayer is an annual day of observance held on the first Thursday of May, designated by the United States Congress, when people are asked “to turn to God in prayer and meditation.” By law the president is required to sign a proclamation each year, encouraging all Americans to pray on this day.
While the Biden administration have announced that they: “Won’t allow the National Day Of Prayer to be held at US Capitol this [2021] year,” Los Angeles kept the annual tradition ongoing.
The event was co-headed by Bishop Juan Carlos Mendez, Founder and President of Churches for Action. Churches for Action is a coalition of 2000 churches that mobilize on behalf of the needy and destitute. The other co-leader was David Hernandez, Chair of Churches for Action San Fernando Valley.
In attendance were the Los Angeles police and Sheriff Departments’ Command Leadership, clergy members, and other political organizations’ members as well as political candidates and guests. They all got together to pray for the nation and the world.
Their aim was to change the administration’s non-event into an outstanding day for everyone who attended. And it was an outstanding success.
Event At Capitol Refused
According to Christian Headlines, after Rev. Patrick Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition requested to host this year’s National Day of Prayer at the Capitol building, on Thursday, May 6, 2021, his request was refused. Rev. Mahoney said that “free speech is in danger today” in America.
But Bishop Mendez does not bow to Godless Administrations. He believes that now more than ever the nation must have faith and hope.
In a room full of Faithful, the Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Thereafter, a Prayer for the World, a Prayer for our Nation, a Prayer for our Law Enforcement and their families, a Prayer for the City, a Prayer for our children, and a Prayer for our immigrant community were delivered one after another.
Unity and Togetherness
The room was filled with the atmosphere of unity and togetherness; much support for the police force was loudly expressed and the demand to speak truth to power was on everyone’s lips. The need to heal the nation was clear to all participants.
Those who are blind to the state of the American nation today, for their own self-interest, do not recognize and acknowledge the broken hearts of the American people. And thus, the prayer for righteousness has filled the room.
Now is the time to admit that we are not on the Titanic; there are no lifeboats. If this ship – the United States – sinks, there are no rescue boats to evacuate as many passengers as possible and no, there will be no coastguard to come to the rescue for any of us. There is nowhere to run to. Our American Republic will die and We, the People, will all die with it.
For people who have become very confused about the meaning of life, our priorities, our values, this early morning Day of Prayer occasion could be a good place to begin the penitence.
What We See
We see the world we love falling apart; a world that fell off the rail track of commonsense. If we do not return to ‘Thou shalt love one another’ ~ John 13:34 we are heading for that wrecking ball Titanic iceberg.
Churches for Action supports America and Americans and made the National Day of Prayer an outstanding day to remember.
The American nation must stop dimming the lights of virtue before it is too late. The American nation must seek the light of God and return to faith and hope. And that hopefully began with the National Day of Prayer that was so heartfelt and brought to be in Los Angeles, California.
About The National Day of Prayer
The National Day of Prayer and the celebration of Thanksgiving, are both proclamations of a national day of prayer. They both share common roots.
Most people do not know that President Abraham Lincoln established the late fall call for prayer in 1863, as the official Thanksgiving holiday.
In 1952, President Harry S. Truman established the spring call for prayer, to be known as the National Day of Prayer.
In his role as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, General George Washington acknowledged a day of “fasting, humiliation and prayer,” proclaimed by the Continental Congress, to be held on Thursday, May 6, 1779. In March 1780, Congress announced a day of “fasting, humiliation and prayer” to be held on Wednesday, April 26, 1780.
From 1784 until 1789, the practice of calling for a national day of fasting and prayer was abandoned, even though Thanksgiving was observed each fall.
On October 3, 1789, by then-President George Washington called for a national day of prayer-Thanksgiving to be observed on Thursday, November 26, 1789.
After James Madison, the 4th U.S. President – 1809 to 1817 – none of the next eleven presidents issued prayer proclamations, thus, there was a period of 47 years, from 1815 to 1862, with no presidential prayer proclamations.
During the Korean War – January-February 1952 – Reverend Billy Graham expressed the desirability of a united national prayer.
Here is what Billy Graham said:
“What a thrilling, glorious thing it would be to see the leaders of our country today kneeling before Almighty God in prayer. What a thrill would sweep this country. What renewed hope and courage would grip the Americans at this hour of peril.”
