[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 135 (Thursday, July 30, 2020)]
[House]
[Page H3991]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 PRAYER

  The Chaplain, the Reverend Patrick J. Conroy, offered the following 
prayer:
  Lord God, thank You for giving us another day.
  On the day our Nation says its final good-bye as Your servant John 
Lewis returns to You and joins the beloved community in its fullness in 
eternity, we bring our petitions to You using some of his final words.
  Bless the Members of this people's House, and those in authority on 
all levels of society, with wisdom and courage to address the unholy 
oppression that awaits so many of our brothers and sisters of color. 
May there be a new, creative way of establishing something like 
community policing, that peace and security might be enjoyed where we 
live.
  O Lord, do we dare to consider the power of nonviolence in our homes, 
our communities, our Nation, and, perhaps, in leadership for our world? 
Might we truly be called, if not challenged, to beat our swords into 
plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks, so that nation shall not 
lift up sword against nation, neither shall we learn war anymore?
  And, as we are reminded, the greatest expression of nonviolent 
challenge to injustice is the vote. Bless all efforts to secure access 
to the ballot for all American citizens.
  Help us, O Lord, to answer the highest calling of our hearts, to 
carry forward the mission of John Lewis, our mission as one nation 
under God, under You, to bring to fruition the beloved community here 
on Earth. You, Lord, know what that might be. Help us to find our way 
to it.
  May all that is done be for Your greater honor and glory.
  Amen.

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