[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 5 (Monday, February 5, 2007)]
[Pages 107-108]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast

February 1, 2007

    Thank you all. Thank you very much. Now will you please join me in 
singing ``The Eyes of Texas.'' [Laughter]
    Good morning. Laura and I are honored to join you here at the 55th 
National Prayer Breakfast. You know, it's an amazing country, isn't it, 
when people from all walks of life gather to recognize our dependence on 
an Almighty God, and to ask Him for blessings in our life. I think a 
breakfast such as this speaks to the true strength of the United States 
of America.
    We come from many different faiths, yet we share this profound 
conviction: We believe that God listens to the voice of His children and 
pours His grace upon those who seek Him in prayer. I appreciate, Mr. 
Congressman, you and Jo Ann Davis for leading this prayer breakfast. And 
thanks for paying tribute to my wife.
    I appreciate the Speaker's presence, Congressman Hoyer's presence, 
Congressman Blunt's presence. I want to thank all the Members of the 
Senate and the House of Representatives who have joined us. I appreciate 
the fact that we've got Governors here, local officials and State 
officials. I thank the members of my Cabinet for joining us. Don't 
linger; you've got a job to do. [Laughter] I thank the military 
officials who have joined us, distinguished dignitaries. Mr. Prime 
Minister, we are glad you're here. Thank you for joining us.
    I appreciate Dr. Collins. I want to thank Reverend Mucci and his 
wife, Kathy. I appreciate Nicole Mullen. But most of all, thank you all.
    We are a nation of prayer; America prays. Each day, millions of our 
citizens bow their heads in silence and solitude, or they offer up 
prayers in fellowship with others. They pray for themselves; they pray 
for their families; they pray for their neighbors and their communities. 
In many congregations and homes across this great land, people also set 
a time--set aside time to pray for our Nation and those entrusted with 
authority, including our elected leaders.
    In my travels, I often see hand-printed signs and personal messages 
from citizens that carry words of prayer. Sometimes it's a single little 
girl holding up a placard that reads: ``Mr. President, be encouraged; 
you are prayed for.'' Sometimes it's a banner held by a group of young 
people that says: ``We are praying for you, Mr. President.'' I often 
hear similar words when I meet people on a ropeline. Isn't that 
interesting--you're working a ropeline and people come up and say, ``Mr. 
President, I am praying for you and your family.''
    The greatest gift a citizen of this country can give those of us 
entrusted with political office is to pray for us. And I thank those in 
our Nation who lift all of us up in prayer.
    Our troops must understand that every day--every day--millions of 
our citizens lift them up in prayer. We pray for their safety; we pray 
for their families they have left at home; we pray for those who have 
been wounded, for their comfort and recovery. We remember those who have 
been lost, and we pray that their loved ones feel the healing touch of 
the Almighty. During this time of war, we thank God that we are part of 
a nation that produces courageous men and women who volunteer to defend 
us.
    Many in our country know the power of prayer. Prayer changes hearts; 
prayer changes lives; and prayer makes us a more compassionate and 
giving people. When we pray, we surrender our will to the Almighty and 
open ourselves up to His priorities and His touch. His call to love our 
neighbors as we would like to be loved ourselves is something that we 
hear when we pray. And we answer that call by reaching out to feed the 
hungry and clothe the poor and aid the widow and the orphan. By helping 
our brothers and sisters in need, we find our own faith strengthened and 
we receive the grace to lead lives of dignity and purpose.
    We see this grace in the life of a young American named Shannon 
Hickey. Shannon was one of Laura's guests at the State of the Union. 
When Shannon was growing up, her favorite priest was Father Mychal 
Judge, a

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chaplain with the New York City Fire Department. Father Mychal helped 
Shannon and her family through Shannon's struggle with liver disease. On 
September the 11th, 2001, Father Mychal lost his life in the World Trade 
Center. In memory of her friend, Shannon founded Mychal's Message, a 
nonprofit organization dedicated to sharing Father Mychal's loving 
spirit. Over the last 5 years, Mychal's Message has collected and 
distributed more than 100,000 needed items to the poor and the homeless. 
With each gift to the needy, Shannon encloses a card with Father 
Mychal's personal prayer. It reads: ``Lord, take me where you want me to 
go, let me meet who you want me to meet, tell me what you want me to 
say, and keep me out of your way.'' [Laughter]
    Father Mychal's humble prayer reminds us of an eternal truth: In the 
quiet of prayer, we leave behind our own cares and we take up the cares 
of the Almighty. And in answering His call to service, we find that, in 
the words of Isaiah, ``We will gain new strength. We will run and not 
get tired. We will walk and not become weary.''
    And so I thank you for joining us on this day of prayer. I thank you 
for the tradition you continue here today. And I ask for God's blessings 
on the United States of America.

Note: The President spoke at 8:45 a.m. at the Hilton Washington Hotel. 
In his remarks, he referred to Representative Emanuel Cleaver II of 
Missouri; Prime Minister Said Musa of Belize; Francis S. Collins, 
director, National Human Genome Research Institute; Rev. Dan Mucci, Jr., 
senior pastor, Abundant Life Church, Glen Burnie, MD, and his wife, 
Kathy; and entertainer Nicole C. Mullen.