[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 20303]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                                 PRAYER

  The Chaplain, the Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin, offered the following 
prayer:
  Throughout our religious history and the story of this Nation, You 
have tried to teach us, O Lord. In Jesus, in the prophets and even in 
our own times, You tell us: ``the just suffer for the unjust to lead us 
closer to You.''
  If we read the stories with the eyes of faith, we come to see that 
even suffering has a purpose.
  Any difficulty or period of trial can bring us closer to You, O Lord.
  In the ancient story of Noah or in early patriotic stories of this 
Nation, You teach us that people cannot only come through periods of 
testing safely, they can, in their suffering, discover Your holy 
presence as never before.
  As we listen to the stories of victims who become survivors, we 
marvel at the strength they find in You, O Lord. Their witness becomes 
our call to be renewed in faith.
  Your faithfulness remains now and forever.
  Amen.

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