Upon invitation of the President, the following prayer was offered by Senator Stern, as written by the Chaplain, Sister Michelle Gorman, RSM:
Praise to the One whose love stirs the ancient embers,
And sparks the breath to prayer.
Praise to the One whose love entices the wandering,
Beckons the confused.
Praise to the One whose love grows wings on the weary,
Dreams hope in the discouraged.
Praise to the One whose love dips deeply into diversity,
Pours forth boundless beauty.
Praise to the One whose love threads the energy of friendship,
Stitches the strength of fidelity.
All praise to this Gracious One.
All gratitude to this Beloved.
All devotion to this Shaper of Hearts.—AMEN.
(Out of the Ordinary- Prayers, Poems, and Reflections for Every Season, by Joyce Rupp)