Apologies to Harry Belafonte and his signature song Day O (see image)! May is here, however, and in addition to flowers, this first week in the month brings us a couple of things.
159 years ago this Wednesday, a force of 4,000 Mexican troops repelled a better equipped French invasion force that was twice their size. Under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin, Mexico won the Battle of Puebla! Why do I mention this? Because this historic event is the reason that we have the holiday known as Cinco de Mayo. Strange how things get their start, isn't it? Here in the United States, we use the holiday of Cinco de Mayo to celebrate Mexican heritage and culture…at our best. Many use it simply as an excuse to party. It's important for us to understand where things come from and what their roots are: it keeps us grounded in our history and our tradition, even as we move into the future.
This week also bring us the National Day of Prayer (always the first Thursday in May). It is one of those few times when we as a nation collectively acknowledge God, and there will be events all over the country throughout the day. This year's theme is "Lord, pour out your love, life, and liberty". I encourage you to either take part in one of the events, or to mark out some time to pray with friends and family. The power of prayer is very real, made even more so by the knowledge that people all over the country will be doing the same.
Happy May, everyone!