[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Page 4251]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                                 prayer

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Today's opening prayer will be offered by Rev. 
Thad Austin, Associate Pastor of the First Methodist Church in 
Murfreesboro, TN.
  The guest Chaplain offered the following prayer:
  Let us pray.
  O Lord, in whom we find life, bind our Nation to You. Make us a 
people devoted to prayer. Tame our wandering hearts and help us 
discover the meaning of freedom, justice, and mercy. Help our people to 
have the faith to seek You and the grace to pray for our enemies.
  Lord, this is a solemn and holy day. Today, we celebrate a saint of 
Your church. May the virtues that St. Patrick embodied be instructive 
to us. For despite adversity, Patrick helped others find good news, and 
his actions changed a society.
  May our lawmakers, like Patrick, grow in their love for You and their 
service to others. Enable them to see beyond the positions that divide 
this body and help them to long after humility, piety, and shared 
purpose.
  Increase our faith, O Lord, and help our unbelief. Rouse our spirits 
and make us one Nation under You.
  Eternal Father, Spirit, Word, we praise You, the Lord and light of 
our salvation. Hear our prayer, O Lord.
  Amen.

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