[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Page 11282]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                                 prayer

  The guest Chaplain offered the following prayer:
  Let us pray.
  Good and giving God, we come humbly before You on this new day, first 
with gratitude: for the gift of life itself, and the gift of another 
day; for the gift of this great country which strives to become all it 
can be--a beacon of freedom, hope, compassion, peace, and justice for 
all; for the gift and privilege of Your call to faithful service in 
this place, and the opportunities to make a lasting difference.
  And then we come before You with humility as we prepare for the tasks 
before us today, for we know we need wisdom and strength and vision 
from beyond ourselves.
  Give us courage to set aside purely personal or partisan political 
agendas in favor of what is truly the common good; give us ears attuned 
to the voices of those who fear they have no voice, whose faith in our 
country, and us, is a reminder of our sacred obligations; and 
especially give us open hearts, ever attentive to Your presence and 
still small voice calling us to do what is right and worthy of people 
who have already been given so much.
  Hear our prayer as gratefully and humbly we offer this day, and 
ourselves, to You for Your guidance and blessing. Amen.

                          ____________________