[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 162 (Tuesday, October 3, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H4961]
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:
  O God, You desire not the strength of our arguments, nor the vigor of 
our opinions, but the gravity of our humble sacrifice.
  On this day, may we sacrifice our inclination for contempt and 
instead initiate kindness; loosen our grip on judgment and instead may 
we grab hold of a generosity of spirit; may we forswear our grudges and 
commit instead to exercise forbearance.
  Hold us accountable that our arguments will support Your 
righteousness and not ring hollow in the defense of our rightness.
  May our struggles serve to preserve the dignity of this body and not 
erode our commitment to its noble purpose. May our words underscore our 
devotion to the common good and not undermine our ability to see, even 
in our adversary, the image of God common to all.
  Open us to Your inspiration, for only in You can we aspire to an 
attitude of sacrifice. With You upholding us, we can be strengthened in 
our every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification.
  We pray unto Him that is able to keep us from falling, hoping that 
You in Your mercy will receive our prayers and this body into Your 
keeping.
  Amen.

                          ____________________