[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 12633]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                                 prayer

  The guest Chaplain offered the following prayer:
  Eternal and all wise God, we assemble this morning thanking You for 
this opportunity that You have given us. We thank You for the abundance 
of Your grace, for the extension of Your mercy, and the assurance of 
Your protection. Help these Senators to be faithful to the higher 
ideals of justice, liberty, and righteousness. Speak to their 
collective consciousness as they endeavor to make our Nation, and, yes, 
even the world, a house of hope, love, and peace.
  Gracious Master, hold Your ideals over the women and men of this 
governing body. Place a crown of righteousness above them, and 
encourage them to grow tall enough to wear it. Your sacred scripture 
says that without a vision, the people will perish. Give the Senators a 
vision for America--a vision that will enable this country to be a 
responsible citizen of the world.
  Now, Lord, grant unto these Senators the courage to lead this Nation 
in complex and confusing times. Help them to rely on that which is 
greater than themselves. May they be guided by Your Spirit and Your 
intelligence as they seek to establish the laws of this land. Bless us 
all. Amen.

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