God of all who have gone before us, and our God, we bow before You this day in gratitude for those who, by sacrificing their lives in defense of freedom, have shown us how the selflessness of unity rises above the self–preservation and fear we are prone to.
On this day, we honor the Four Chaplains––Reverend Clark Poling, Rabbi Alexander Goode, Father John Washington, and Reverend George Fox––who served aboard the USAT Dorchester when she was torpedoed on February 3, 1943. These men, whose call to ministry sent them out upon the sea, saw the works of Your hand, O Lord, Your wonderful works in the deep. At Your word, they witnessed tempests stirred which lifted high the waves, mounted to the heavens, and descended to the depths.
You, O Lord, were present with those men of faith on that fateful day, and You heard their cries when they called in their trouble.
Your spirit, hovering over those dark waters, emboldened those Four Chaplains to pray, to sing hymns, and to encourage the crew not to lose hope. As these men sacrificed themselves, passed life jackets, and guided others to safety, they gave up their own chance of survival so that others would live.
Lord, in doing their duty, they have shown us that it is ultimately You who will guide us to our desired haven. In the assembly of those who share in faith, even across different traditions, when we join hands and pray, though the world be threatened by crashing waves and perilous seas, we need not fear.
Our Father, You who are in heaven, grant us the kingdom, the power, and the glory that reveal Your unfailing love. Unto You then, as those chaplains did long ago, we entrust our lives to Your care.
Now may we do our duty and may our strength and courage prove adequate in Your sight.
In Your eternal name we pray. Amen.
Psalm 107:23–30
We are dependent upon God for even our sense of worth as individuals. Our uniqueness and dignity are rooted in our creation in the image of God. Our value is not tied to wealth, status, accomplishments, or position. It is a gift. Obviously, this wonderful truth flies in the face of the modern technology to define people by what they produce or what they have. The terrible reality of the Fall was... a repudiation of our dependence upon God.
—Richard J. Foster
The Interfaith Staff Prayer Room is open for congressional staff to use for personal prayer and meditation. For questions – email StaffPrayerRoom@mail.house.gov