[Page H5217]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 PRAYER

  Reverend Russell Gordon, Lutheran Church of the Reformation, 
Washington, D.C., offered the following prayer:
  God of creation, we praise You for the sheer beauty of this world, 
for its astonishing diversity among plants and animals and peoples who 
together call this place home. We pray for Your gracious providence to 
encourage us in being responsible caretakers of all that You have made, 
to respect the delicate nature of the Earth, and to preserve this 
wondrous world for our children and grandchildren to enjoy.
  We most especially pray this day for those families who have recently 
lost their children and loved ones due to gun violence. Bring them a 
good measure of Your comfort and Your peace.
  As we begin this Memorial weekend, help us, O God, to do so humbly, 
grateful for the utmost sacrifice made by those in uniform in all 
fields of conflict, lives given so we may enjoy the fruits of life and 
liberty. We pray for those families who still feel their loss. May 
their supreme offering inspire this Nation and its leaders to strive 
for those ways that lead to greater unity, justice, freedom, and peace.
  Amen.

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