The Office of the Chaplain United States House of Representatives

Reverend Campbell Gillon

Georgetown Presbyterian Church
Washington, DC

Sponsor: Rep. Rep. Ken Bensten, (D-TX)
Date of Prayer: 09/19/2001

Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:

Almighty God, before Whom civilizations rise and pass away, we bow before Thee. We are creatures of a day, our lives divinely touched into being; endowed with insight as well as sight, conscience as well as cleverness, spiritual responsiveness as well as physical reflexes. In Thee we exist. Forgive us if in the past, we have denied the "better angels" of our nature, thus denying divine guidance and help.

In the light of the recent act of aggression against this Nation, horror, shock, grief, fear, revenge, and anger struggle within people's hearts. We sorrow at the loss of life, the families shattered, the injuries sustained, and the horrendous images that rescuers and rescued will forever retain. We commend all such to the care of the One who alone is the help of the helpless, the healer of the heartbroken, the strengthener of those bowed down.

Wherever the way forward lies, lead the Representatives of this great Nation by eternal beacons of justice, truth, understanding, and righteousness, to deal firmly with evil and fairly for a conclusion with honor. For such a task, bless the President, his Cabinet, this House, its leaders, Representatives, staffers, advisors, and all who act for the Nation here. As their days, so may their strength be.

Bless them with vision informed by wisdom; wisdom instructed by truth; truth revealed in integrity, and integrity touched by love; all learned in humility before thee, O God, whose children we are called to be.

This we ask in Thy spirit. Amen.


To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory