[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 17197]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                                 PRAYER

  The Chaplain, the Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin, offered the following 
prayer:
  Blessed be God forever.
  Lord God, king of heaven and earth, we praise You and we thank You 
for gathering the people of this Nation in prayer during these past 
days. The prayerful Friday of national remembrance, the Sabbath and the 
celebration of the Lord's day have strengthened us in Your spirit.
  We are grateful for those around the world who are one with us, as we 
humbly pay tribute to the thousands whose lives were shattered by the 
terrorist attack on America.
  We unite ourselves through prayer with all those of the Jewish faith 
who begin their holy days this evening.
  May the events of this past week be seared into our common memory and 
forged into our hearts, ever deepening our spiritual awakening.
  May our actions which flow from prayer today be determined forthright 
and just.
  Be present to us, Lord, as we return to some routine, knowing that 
the times demand of us all alertness, courage and renewed commitment to 
the American way of life.
  As we thank You for the freedom to worship across this land, we beg 
of You the grace to seize every opportunity, to strengthen one another 
in unity and to be of service to our country.
  Blessed be God, both now and forever.
  Amen.

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