[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 1187]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                                 PRAYER

  The Chaplain, the Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin, offered the following 
prayer:
  Lord God and Father of us all, divine Providence has led this Nation 
in the past and guides all human affairs to this very day. As a Nation, 
we are in need of wisdom to make right decisions, perseverance to build 
upon the hopes of Your people, and patience, because the times bear an 
urgency. So, today, the American people join Congress as we call upon 
Your holy name and pray in silence for a moment for Joseph Biden to be 
Vice President and on behalf of Your servant Barack Obama, our incoming 
44th President of the United States of America.
  May Your Holy Spirit descend upon him that he may see things as You 
see things. May he be strengthened in his work and grow in 
understanding as he proves ever attentive to the people. May he respond 
to the Nation's deepest needs and lift up all of us to higher standards 
of equal justice, true goodness and peaceful union. Grant him health 
and protection, sincere collaboration and renewed faith. Lord, may the 
people of this Nation and the people around the world stand with him to 
face any challenge, endure any difficulty without fear, learn how to 
accept every success and every failure with grace, and support him with 
encouragement and prayer, both now and forever. Amen.

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