[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 17157]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                                 PRAYER

  The Reverend Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Sr., Senior Pastor, Allen Temple 
Baptist Church, Oakland, California, offered the following prayer:
  O God, Your sacred word teaches us the words of Jesus who said: 
``Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of 
God.''
  Teach us the religion of African American slaves who sang about 
laying down their burdens and studying war no more. Give us the 
knowledge for understanding how to remove the causes of violence. Open 
our eyes to see that violence as a solution only multiplies escalating 
violence.
  Grant us the wisdom to make peace in our heads, hearts, homes, school 
houses and legislative houses. Grant us the courage to become advocates 
for the weak in our society, for the strong are their own advocates. 
May the fresh awareness of Your invisible presence guide each of us 
today as we seek not to be problems, but solutions for the ills of our 
hurting world.
  Help the elected leaders of this U.S. House of Representatives serve 
as eyes for the blind, voices for the voiceless, and advocates for the 
last, the least, and the left out.
  We pray this prayer in the name of the One who is wonderful, 
counselor, the Mighty God, the everlasting parent and the Prince of 
Peace. Amen.

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