PRAYER; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 127
(House of Representatives - July 20, 2020)

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[Page H3098]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 PRAYER

  The Chaplain, the Reverend Patrick J. Conroy, offered the following 
prayer:
  Loving God, Father of us all, Father of all our ancestors, thank You 
for giving us another day.
  The Congress returns mourning the loss of a sweet man, a saint, 
warrior, and prophet,   John Lewis.
  A saint in his commitment to nonviolence in a violent world, where 
all too often people are oppressed because of their nationality, their 
tribe, their religion, their color.
  A warrior in his lifelong commitment to engaging in good trouble, to 
breaking down the forces of separation, especially in this Nation of 
ours; to challenge those who would claim innocence in their actions 
designed to maintain a caste society based on race and address the 
systems of exclusion from full participation in the freedoms guaranteed 
by our Constitution--especially participation in the vote.
  A prophet who spoke of Your will that we become the beloved community 
here on Earth, a beloved community he has now joined among the 
community of saints, the cloud of witnesses to Your love and Your 
truth.
  In all of this, John's work must now be our own.
  Bless the Members of this Chamber with the courage and wisdom to 
address the ongoing challenges that   John Lewis encountered in his 
entire life. Help them, help us all, to bring forth the beloved 
community in our midst, where all men and women might live, together, 
in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
  May all that is done in the people's House this day, and in all the 
days to come, be for Your greater honor and glory.
  Amen.

                          ____________________