[Washington Examiner] Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson praised President Trump's call for a National Day of Prayer as the coronavirus outbreak grips the nation.As Vice President Mike Pence and officials of the White House Coronavirus Task Force provided updates to the public on the growing COVID-19 pandemic, Carson spoke on the upcoming National Day of Prayer tailored to boosting morale among the public.
"I hope that we as a nation can use this as an opportunity to pull together for good. You know, President Trump is going to be recommending a National Day of Prayer. And you know, we've gotten away from prayer and faith a lot in this country," Carson said during the Saturday press conference.
"There's nothing wrong with godly principles, no matter what your faith is: loving your neighbor, caring about the people around you, developing your God-given talents to the utmost so that you become valuable to the people around you, having values and principles that govern your life," he continued.
"Those are things that made America zoom to the top of the world in record time. And those are the things that will keep us there too."
On Friday evening, Trump declared Sunday a National Day of Prayer, alluding to the times people in the United States traditionally hold steadfast to faith when facing difficult times. The first Sunday of every March since 1988 has been designated as a National Day of Prayer, but the president tailored the event this year toward addressing the outbreak of COVID-19.
"It is my great honor to declare Sunday, March 15th as a National Day of Prayer. We are a Country that, throughout our history, has looked to God for protection and strength in times like these," the President said in a tweet. "No matter where you may be, I encourage you to turn towards prayer in an act of faith. Together, we will easily PREVAIL!"