The Office of the Chaplain United States House of Representatives

Opening Prayer

06/04/2026
Chaplain Margaret Grun Kibben

Call us together, O God, into the embrace of your everlasting arms. Whoever we are, whatever we bring with us, hold us near to you that you would, in your mercy, forgive our shortcomings and in your all–sufficient grace, mend our imperfections.

And even as you work within us individually, move among us as a body. As we come together, we bring with us a multitude of concerns, the best and worst of intentions, and the full spectrum of desired outcomes. Take the breadth of our disparate perspectives and competing agendas and make us see that our mutual goal should always be for the building up of this body and the betterment of the nation we serve.

Move your spirit over the waters of our discord. You, who are the author not of confusion, but of peace, bring us to order under the authority of your divine will.

Lord, hear our prayers, forgive our sin, establish the work of our hands, and heal our land.

In your Sovereign name we pray.

2 Chronicles 7:14; Psalm 90:17; 1 Corinthians 14:26, 33

Thought of the Week

Walking by faith, let us do good works. In these let there be a free love of God for His own sake and an active love for our neighbor. For there is nothing we can do for God. But because we have something we can do for our neighbor, we shall by our good offices to the needy gain the favor of Him Who is the source of all abundance. Let us then do what we can for others; let us freely bestow upon the needy out of our abundance.

—St. Augustine

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