[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 164 (Wednesday, September 22, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H4876]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 PRAYER

  The Chaplain, the Reverend Margaret Grun Kibben, offered the 
following prayer:
  You have called us, O God, and we have answered. From cities and 
towns across the country, with enthusiasm for a life of service and a 
commitment to faithful citizenship, all who labor in these hallowed 
halls have responded to Your summons to serve and preserve the noble 
ideals of this Nation.
  And so we offer to You everything we are, lay before You all we hope 
to accomplish, and pray for what we lack: The ability to represent the 
concerns of our compatriots in this challenging forum of debate and 
decision; the resilience to maintain a grueling schedule while staying 
above water in the storms of frustration and animosity; the compassion 
for an issue or group of people, and the need to broaden that empathy 
to hear the voices of those with whom we do not agree; the wisdom to 
know when a cause is justified but the discernment to refrain if the 
timing isn't right; and the discipline to rise above the fray of harsh 
discourse.
  O Lord, we pray Your guiding presence amidst the protectors and 
guardians of the laws of this land, the defenders of the marginalized, 
and the safe keepers of the virtues, freedoms, and opportunities on 
which this Nation was founded. May we prove worthy of Your trust in us.
  In the mercy of Your name, we pray.
  Amen.

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