[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 5299-5300]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                                 PRAYER

  The Chaplain, the Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin, offered the following 
prayer:
  Lord God, the decline of trust in government and other institutions 
in the United States over the past 30 years has long been documented.
  Young people float through an age of disillusionment while older 
people survive on comparisons with yesterday.
  The credibility gap affects Americans of all ages and divides 
generations, while mistrust infects a virus in marriage, friendship, as 
well as business and international relations.
  The psalmist tells every believer it is better to place our trust in 
You, O

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Lord, than to trust in our own strength or trust in weapons or people 
of power.
  Since You alone are eternal faithfulness, send forth Your spirit and 
renew this Nation, that we may again become trustworthy people, 
bringing hope to a fearful world.
  Let the rebuilding of trust begin here. Lord, touch the Members of 
the House of Representatives, that they may be men and women of renewed 
integrity and solidarity.
  Step by step, may human vulnerability be turned into virtue as all 
work to strengthen relationships that will bind people in solid 
faithfulness both now and forever.
  Amen.

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