Prayer for August 23, 2021

O Lord our God, may you protect those who put themselves in harms way in service to others.  The members of the Armed Forces who continually step up to protect others and the people they serve need special attention right now. May you be with those who are serving us as public safety officers and first responders as they deal with the stresses that are a regular part of their lives.  Let the medical professionals who continue to struggle through the pandemic feel your presence and our gratefulness for the sacrifices they make everyday. May all us work toward a world where the danger to which all of them respond is minimized and your love overcomes the anxieties and hatred that pervades much of our world today.  May we become harbingers of peace.  Amen