The Virginia House of Delegates - Jan 27th, 2014 prayer

[ GAVEL POUNDING ] >>> HOUSE WILL COME TO ORDER. MEMBERS PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEATS. SERGEANT AT ARMS. >> THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES IS NOW IN SESSION. ALL PERSONS NOT ENTITLED TO PRIVILEGES ON THE FLOOR, PLEASE RETIRE TO THE GALLERY. >> THE MEMBERS WILL RISE AND BE LED IN PRAYER BY THE REVEREND ROBERT J. COLE, PASTOR OF ST. JOHN THE APOSTLE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN VIRGINIA BEACH, AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA LED BY THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLONIAL HEIGHTS, MR. ***. >> LET US BOW OUR HEADS. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, AMEN. ALMIGHTY AND ETERNAL GOD, IN YOUR KINDNESS YOU BRING ALL THAT IS GOOD IN CREATION. GRANT WISDOM TO THESE ELECTED OFFICIALS OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES, THAT OUR CITIZENS MAY CONTINUE TO ENJOY THE BLESSING OF LIFE AND LIBERTY WHICH YOU ENVISION ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA. LORD, YOU GUIDE AND GOVERN EVERYTHING WITH ORDER AND LOVE. BLESS THIS ASSEMBLY. FILL THEM WITH THE SPIRIT OF YOUR GOODNESS SO THEY MAY ALWAYS ACT ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL IN THEIR DECISIONS MAY BE FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF ALL THE PEOPLE THEY SERVE. GOD OF JUSTICE, THROUGH YOU AUTHORITY IS RIGHTLY ADMINISTERED, LAWS ARE ENACTED, AND JUDGMENT IS DECREED. ASSIST WITH YOUR SPIRIT OF COUNSEL AND FORTITUDE AND LEADERSHIP OF THIS COMMONWEALTH. MAY THEY ALWAYS SEEK THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, JUSTICE AND MERCY. GRANT THEM COURAGE SO THEY MAY ALWAYS ENACT PUBLIC POLICIES WITH HONESTY AND INTEGRITY. MOVE THE HEARTS OF ALL THE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO FULFILL THEIR SACRED DUTIES WELL. HELP THEM TO EXTEND THE MAN TELL OF PROTECTION TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE SILT SENSE, THE POOR, THE AGING, THE MENTALLY CHALLENGED, UNBORN, THE DOWN-TRODDEN AND TO UPHOLD THE VALUE OF LIFE AND LIBERTY FOR ALL. WE RECOMMEND LIKEWISE TO YOUR UNBOUNDED MERCY ALL OF OUR FELLOW CITIZENS WHO SERVE IN THE MILITARY AS THEY SEEK PERSEVERANCE, THE FREEDOM FOR WHICH THEY EARN IN THE COMMONWEALTH AND AS A NATION. AND WE ASK ALL THIS THROUGH YOUR SON, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, AMEN. >> AMEN. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE