[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6056]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                                 PRAYER

  The Chaplain, the Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin, offered the following 
prayer:
  Lord of history and Conqueror of evil, empower us to surrender 
completely to Your spirit. With renewed faith in Your guidance, even in 
the midst of conflicting inspirations, we commend to You the Members of 
Congress, the President, his Cabinet, and all who struggle to lead Your 
people and acknowledge Your sovereignty over all events and times.
  When faced with impending decisions or making a deep commitment, Your 
devout people not only turn to You in prayer but they use every ounce 
of intelligence and every source of consultation to know Your holy 
will. Lord, human as we are, often we talk to You as we would a friend 
or an intimate, wondering what is Your mind.
  At a certain moment, we begin to look for signs from You that will 
confirm the movement in our heart. Lord, send forth Your light that we 
may discern well the desolations or consolations You give us. If 
conscience is flooded with anger, resentment, and darkness, we will 
reexamine their source. If, however, You fill us with a surge of energy 
borne of inner peace and freedom, that takes us beyond our ego and is 
in tune with Your word, we will continue to seek to do Your will now 
and forever.
  Amen.

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