[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 14966]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                                 PRAYER

  The Chaplain, the Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin, offered the following 
prayer:
  Father of Eternal Light, how shall we be measured in Your sight?
  In a culture of achievement, we can carry over competitive attitudes 
to our relationship with You, O Lord, and to those we love or serve. 
But once we realize there is nothing we can do to make You love us more 
than You already do, we can be set free to simply love as You love, 
unconditionally, and serve others with abandonment. To give of 
ourselves in love and service is enough.
  In a culture of success, the worst thing that can seem to happen is 
to fail, when all You ask of us, O Lord, is to do what is right, speak 
what is true, and give of ourselves in service of others without 
counting the cost.
  Then the full measurement of ourselves will be not to impress others 
but to love others as You love and bring Your love to all we do in Your 
Holy Name.
  Amen.

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