O God of Glory, we give thanks for this new day and for the call to service each of us is given in the time that is ours. We especially remember with grateful hearts your servant Tom Lantos. We thank you for giving him to us, and for the service he gave to the people of our nation; grant to him your peace, and may we not rest until all people share in the benefits of justice, freedom and peace.--AMEN

Gracious God, we give thanks this day for our cherished right to choose our leaders. As this mosiac of democracy unfolds before us, guide the voters of our land in the election a president and other public servants. Give to all those who seek office the humility to listen, the courage to act, and the wisdom to know what is right in your sight. AMEN

O Source of Strength,

No one goes through life unchallenged by adversity. The real test however, is rarely the problems that we face, but rather the test is how we face our problems.

The 20th century philosopher, and Holocaust survivor, Viktor Frankl observed that "everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms-to choose one`s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one`s own way."

The ultimate freedom in life is that we can define who we are by the way in which we confront the challenges that we encounter each and every day.

May it be Your will O God, that regardless of what challenges might befall us, we always choose to live a life of integrity, and in accordance with our highest values and beliefs. May this be God`s will.-AMEN.

Each day is a new adventure, with opportunities waiting to be explored and new paths to venture down. Most of our greatest rewards can be found not at our final destinations, but in our relationships and interactions along the way.
May the Holy One of Blessing help us to find meaning in our journey and as much joy in our travels as in our final destination. May this be God’s will.—AMEN

O Almighty, All Pervading and Eternal God:

To Thee, I pray, O Lord: Thou art my True Master; Thou art my Protector ever, I dwell upon Thee.

Save us all, O Father, from Lust, Anger, Greed, Attachment and Pride; and keep us always attached to Thy Feet. Bless us all with the eyes of the Mind to see you present in all human beings, your own images, and enable us to love you and pay due respect to all without any discrimination on the basis of race, religion, creed, gender and color. May Peace, Accord and harmony prevail in the world in place of unrest, chaos and tyranny.

The California Senate is passing an American Sikh Day
Resolution. Senate President pro Tem Darrel Steinberg has been of utmost assistance to the Sikh Community during this painful time when Mr. Surinder Singh was fatally shot.

Almighty God, we ask that You bless Senator Darrel Steinberg and all other California State Senators, give them the strength, and guide them so that they can help the Sikh Community and all other religions during their time of need.

O Almighty God, we beseech Your assistance and blessings. With full faith in You, O God-Guru, we bow before You repeating Nanak’s words: “With the glorification of Thy Name, May all human beings prosper with Thy Grace.”

“The Khalsa belong to God, and the Victory belongs to God”

“Those who praise God shall be in bliss and happy, and eternal is the timeless Lord”

An ancient Greek philosopher taught that “a good man or woman does nothing for the sake of appearances, but for the sake of doing right. (Epicetetus)

At the end of our lives, when we meet with our Creator, we will not be measured by the newspaper articles or the sound bites, or what we appeared to do. No, what we will be held accountable for will be our choices in life, our actions, as well as the motivations behind them.

The true measure of character comes not in blithely dismissing the importance of appearances, but it is in the very act of knowing how important appearances are and still taking a stand simply for the sake of knowing that it is the right thing to do.

May the Holy One of Blessing, our Creator and Judge, grant us the ability to always discern the right path, and give us the fortitude to walk down it. May this be God’s will--AMEN.

The well known author, Madeline L’Engle wrote that “the great thing about getting older is that you don’t lose all the other ages you’ve been.

Getting older does not have to mean loss. Rather, it means collecting a rich store of age bound experiences. Each of these ages offers us an ever growing capacity to see and understand the world through the unique lens of a particular stage of life.

Within each of us is a six year old, a teenager, a young adult just starting out on our own. Those parts of who we are are never fully gone. If we let them be, these past experiences are resources of enthusiasm, hopefulness, and wisdom.

May the Holy One of Blessing enable us to see within ourselves the accumulation of life, not the passing away of time. May this be God’s will--AMEN.

O great and glorious God, throughout the millennium humanity has turned to you and asked how can we live a life of meaning? Your sacred text teaches us that it is not through acquiring material wealth or social status. No. You have taught us that to live a life of meaning, a life imbued with holiness, we must strive not only to improve our own lot, but the lives of others as well. To care for the poor, the widow and the orphan, to remove stumbling blocks before the blind and create a society governed by fairness and compassion, this you have taught us is the path to meaning and holiness.

May the work of our hands and the meditations of our hearts be ever directed towards creating a better and more just world. May this be God’s will--AMEN.

great Chinese philosopher once taught:

If you would live greatly,
never think to make your words sincere,
your actions resolute,
simply speak and do what is right. (Mencius)

When we listen to that still small voice within us, when we allow ourselves to follow our intuition, we more often than not find that the ability to speak and do what is right flows naturally from within.

We turn to the Creator of us all, and pray that justice and righteousness will be reflected in the way we live, in the words we speak and the deeds we do. We pray that all these things will be ways for us to heal and not to hurt, to comfort and not to afflict, those who we are here to serve.

May this be God’s will--AMEN.
 

O Gracious God of mercy and justice, we stand before you today united in pride for our country and with a profound sense of gratitude for our men and women in the armed forces who each and every day put their lives in harms way to protect us and the freedom we treasure.

Through your prophet Isaiah you spoke to us saying “Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. (Isaiah 1:17)”

We also remember at this time all those who have lost loved ones throughout these many years from the senseless terrorist attacks on innocent lives. We pray for their families that they may find solace in the knowledge that the one of those who was responsible for their pain has been brought to justice.

May You have mercy and compassion on all of our armed forces, may you bring healing to those who mourn, and may you bring peace upon us and all the world.

In Your holy name--AMEN.

Members and guests we are in the throes of a fiscal crisis that is challenging our collective intellect and personal resolve. And as of last week it is even challenging our wallets. While we work through the policy decisions we were elected to make, I would make this request of every senator and staff member: At the end of the day we all represent California. And while we might differ on the approach, none of what we do should be taken personally. I believe we all truly love California and want to see it prosper; we just have dissimilar ways of getting there.

Motivational speaker Dr. Dwayne Dyer raised this idea when he said:

Consider those whom you call your enemies and figure out what they should call you.

You cannot choose sides in a round world. You are either in it, a part of it, or you are off. When you have enemies you are a part of the very things you accuse them of. An enemy opposes your interests or position. An enemy is hostile, unkind or unfriendly. And what are you doing while all of this is going on? If you consider them your enemy how can they approach you to get things clear? You are in the middle of what stands between you and your enemy. It is not what they have done or said, can do or might do. It is YOU. It is your thoughts, your judgments, your fear, your condemnation, and if you did not feel guilty you could not attack those you call your enemy. You believe the enemy is wrong, not to be trusted, unworthy of love; you prepare yourself for the defense, projecting onto the enemy the very things you do yourself. When you have an enemy, look at your own hatred, understanding how the hostility disturbs you and ask yourself: Do I really want to attack the very thing I fear?

In the book of New Testament, book of Mark, Jesus was talking to the disciples when John said to him: "Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us."

But Jesus said, "Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name and be able to soon afterward speak evil of me."

For he who is not against us is for us.

I pray today that as we deliberate we remember we are not against one another, that we all love California and truly want to see it prosper. There are no enemies here, only servants trying to serve.

May this be God`s will.-AMEN.

Author Azar Nafisi writes about what he calls a certain kind of “careless people…
those who see the world in black and white…drunk on the righteousness of their own fictions.”
Please join me in prayer.

God of the ages,
God of all people…
You call each of us to live in the here and now
--and to make the most responsible decisions we can based upon
…the best information available to us
…and based upon our own most cherished values and principles

Help us to be faithful to those values and principles.

But also remind us that adamantly held values and principles may lead us to uncritically believe in fictions and illusions, regardless of the facts.

As the good men and women of this Senate go about the difficult job of giving leadership and direction to this great state,
I pray that they would have the strength to stand firm in their convictions…
And I pray that they would have the humility and the decency to work honestly and openly with those whose convictions may be different than their own.

May they work for what is best for the people of this wonderful and complex state…
…not simply for their own constituency or their own political interests.

I pray that their most compelling principle will be to find realistic and compassionate solutions to the challenges confronting us.
May they have open minds and open hearts.
Help them to be faithful servants of the people of this state.
This I ask in your Loving Spirit--AMEN.

Dear Precious Lord, gracious God,
You are the Absolute Being, All Knowing, All Powerful, Almighty, and Creator. Your greatness is marvelous. Your rule is supreme and your presence is magnificent. It is because of you that miracles happen daily. Marriages are formed, babies are born, children are adopted, and the elderly are being cared for. And I thank you; we thank you. Your love is incomparable and incorruptible.
Lord you are a liberator. Thank you for being a Liberator who cares for His people, His children and His creation. So much so that you even emancipated persons of color who were once unethically and immorally held in bondage under the evils of slavery. We come here this day, at this time and at this hour commemorating the announcement of liberation. And we are thankful for that announcement. That announcement proved the existence of a loving and caring God who disapproves of systems of oppression. And for that, we thank you.
God, we ask that you bless those under the sound of my voice as they seek to govern our great state. Please provide for our governor and state leaders wisdom and compassion as they serve even the least of these. Remind them that they must choose righteousness over being right; and love over hate.
Bind us together. Make us one. Provide strength, stamina, and stability as we proceed into the future.
In Thy Name and in the Names of Freedom Fighters who have Gone on before us,
Amen
 

There is a true story about a boy who was selling goods from door to door to help pay for his school supplies when he found a thin dime. He decided that he would ask for a meal at the next house, but when the woman answered the door he just asked for a glass of water. Instead of water, the woman returned with a large glass of milk. Years went by and the woman became sick, and her doctor took very good care of her. She was nervous to receive the bill, but when she opened it up, it said, “Paid in full with one glass of milk.” Signed: Dr. Howard Kelly.

There’s a saying that says: "Bread cast on the waters comes back to you. The good deed you do today may benefit you at the least expected time. If you never see the deed again at least you will have made the world a better place."

Let us pray:

Eternal God, we pray for our California Senators today. May they know that the good deeds they do today will ultimately benefit us all in the days and years to come. We pray for their deliberations, we pray for all Californians, may we have hope for a better day, and we pray for the bread that has been cast upon the waters. Amen.

Eternal God, There are many Californians today who are feeling broken. We pray for those who are unemployed, we pray for those who have lost their homes and we pray for all of us who are trying to figure out how to make ends meet. We pray now for our California Senate in their deliberations. May the work that they do here today bring light where there is darkness and hope where there is brokenness for this great state of California. This prayer we pray.-AMEN.Let us pray:There once was a young man who was stricken by cancer and as a result he lost his leg. Understandably, he was very angered about this. So he decided to see a counselor who did some art therapy with him. The young man drew a picture of a vase with a big black crack in it because that`s how he felt about himself: broken. Time went by and deep healing began for him and a year later his counselor showed him the picture of the vase with the big black crack. Taking a yellow crayon, the young man said, "This picture isn`t finished yet. You see here where the crack is? . . . "This is where the light shines through." Then he colored a bright ray of light.

Members and guests we are being challenged with a fiscal crisis the likes of which has never been seen in California. Sometimes we see only despair and question whether or not we can find a workable solution.

Consider this:

"The bumblebee`s wings are so thin and its body so big, it should not be able to fly. The only problem is-the bee doesn`t know that." I saw this quote from author David Lindsey in spiritualist, Iyanla Vanzant`s book, "Acts of Faith", that I felt captured the essence of what we face.

Ms. Vanzant continues:

"Most of us don`t know what we cannot do until someone tells us. We are willing to try almost anything, go anywhere stretch ourselves to the limits in pursuit of our dreams. And then we talk to other people. We are reminded of how dangerous it may be, how ridiculous it sounds, what a chance we are taking. People have no problem informing us of all the downsides and pitfalls; they cannot see how we will ever reach the goal. They put us in touch with our faults, limitations and habits. They remind us of all the others who didn`t make it, and in vivid detail they tell us why. They give us warnings, cautions and helpful hints about alternative things we can do. When they are finished, we have been effectively talked out of our dreams. Bumblebees do not talk and neither should we. If you have a dream you want to come true, the only way to it is through it. You must take a chance, a risk and a leap. If you believe in yourself and your ability, you will be taught how to fly."

This morning I pray that just as you provided blessings to Daniel facing the lion, and Moses facing the Red Sea on one side and Pharaoh on the other, and as you did for Sarah and Abraham when they received Isaac, and as you did when you raised Lazarus from the dead, so also, on this day, as we seek your divine guidance, you bless us to allow us to transcend all obstacles in order for California to fly.

May this be God`s will.-AMEN.

Warren Walker spoke of the desire within each of us to experience what is real and what is sustaining. He observed that “there is deep-seated in the make-up of the ordinary person a craving for flowers that do not fade and pleasures that do not pass away. Deep down inside of every human being there is a desire for the genuine - the lasting quality of real life.”

For those who choose a life of public service, opportunities abound to leave a lasting mark on our world, to have an affect on the quality of life for ourselves and for others, and to connect with the world in a deeper and more lasting fashion.

May the Holy One of Blessing grant us the ability to experience every day with a sense of wonder, and to find moments of transcendence where we can encounter what is Divine and Eternal in our world. May we be blessed to see the beauty that is sometimes hidden in our day to day lives and may we experience the lasting quality of real life in the work we do each day. May this be God’s will--AMEN.

William Least Heat-Moon wrote:
“Most of the time it’s too late to turn back
once you understand you should turn back.”
Please pray with me.

Loving God, may we earnestly endeavor to have strength and resolve,
But also to have wisdom and prudence.

May we not allow our strength to keep us from seeking solutions,
And may we not allow our resolve to keep us from seeking resolution.

May we have the wisdom to realize that our way is not the only right way
And may we have the prudence to listen with open minds and hearts to other ideas and approaches.

Amidst the clamor of competing voices urging us this way or that,
Let us heed the prophet Micah’s message that what you desire from us is that we do justice, and love mercy, and walk humbly with God.

May the good women and men of this Senate be reminded that they are servants,
Here to serve the needs of all the people of California
Here to work together to help build a good and just and thriving and vibrant state.

I pray that they now go about that task with energy and imagination and compassion,
For it is in your spirit of hope that I pray.
Amen

Please join me in turning our attention this morning to a Higher Power called by many names. Sometimes this Power is called Our Father to indicate that It does not favor one over another, but lifts all people up to feel the sunlight of the Spirit. We give thanks for members and staff of this Senate, for they too know the importance of lifting all Californians up to feel the favor of this great state.

As legislation is discussed in these chambers let it be discussed with compassion, inclusion, and a deep respect for all sides of every issue. Divine Intelligence is in this house and we take pause to feel It`s indwelling presence--AMEN.
 

Politics is a difficult business. Politicians are elected because they represent a particular view. Yet once they are elected, they represent not simply those who voted for them, but the entire community. Blaise Pascal wrote sage words that apply to our political system. He wrote: We show greatness not by being at one extreme, but by touching both at once and occupying all the space in between.
May the Creator of time and space enable each of us to experience the wonderment of being able to see and to understand the world from many perspectives, and to appreciate the glory of all that lies in between them.
May this be God`s will--AMEN.
 

O Compassionate One, the mystery with many names, prayed to in many languages
Hear the prayers of your humble servants who come to you seeking guidance, wisdom and compassion for the people of California. As your Senators, we give you thanks for the blessings of land and sea, the richness of cultures and the strength of diversity –all images of your abiding presence.
Forgive us for the past wrongs that have divided and brought injustice to parts of the human family. Give us listening and discerning hearts. Give us patience and a willingness to remain open to opposing viewpoints. Give us grace to disagree and still be friends.
Finally, we commend to your care the children, about to begin a new school year, the unemployed and destitute, the sick and all who care for them, the clergy of all faiths and the communities they lead, that our unity may deepen. Watch over us and help us to break down the barriers of class, religion, gender and sexual inequality that each may reach their potential and serve the common good.
May this day be a blessing to each one of us, that we may finally say:
(Let us together say) “What is done is done, what is not done is not done, so let it be,” AMEN

O Gracious and loving God, You have given us inspiration and guidance through Your prophets, so that we might live a life of righteousness and meaning. Through Your prophet Micah You taught us that it is not sacrifices that you want from us, but action. What You require of us is only to do justice, to love goodness, and to walk humbly with our God. (Micah 6:8)
May we live by this prophet’s teaching and be known for the wisdom of our deeds and our quest to do what is just and good. May we act with love towards one another, and may we be ever humble before our Creator and all humanity. May this be Gods will - AMEN.

Oh God of all humanity,

As we return to the sacred task of serving the people of California, may we be ever mindful of the importance of our work, and the profound impact it has on the lives of the men, women and children of this state.

May we also remember this afternoon the 30 U.S. soldiers killed last week in Afghanistan, in the single deadliest attack since the war began, a painful reminder of the thousands of men and women who have lost their lives in service to our country. May their courage and dedication inspire us to act with selflessness and loyalty to our country and its citizens. May we never take for granted the freedom and democratic ideals that they sought to protect and preserve.

May this be God’s will--AMEN

O Great and Merciful God, Each day the Senate is in session we begin with holy words, a prayer to You and a pledge of allegiance to our country.
With a prayer we remind ourselves that to serve others is a sacred task, and with our pledge we affirm our devotion to our country and our obligation to protect and preserve it.
Ten years ago we were left without adequate words as we watched in horror as our nation was attacked. But we found solace in prayer and we recommited ourselves to the service and protection of our country. On that tragic day we did not think of our differences, we were not
Democrats or Republicans, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, Bhuddists or Hindus. Through that terrible tragedy we came together, in unity,as Americans.
On this day, we stand before You in remembrance of those who were killed. We stand together as brothers and sisters, praying for your help in repairing a world that was shattered, we ask for healing and for guidance.
We ask you to protect our country and all who dwell here, but most of all, we ask for peace.
May this be God’s will.—AMEN.

Prayer by Fr. Michael F. Kiernan
Cathedral of the Blessed Sacramento

O God Of Love, Compassion, and Healing,
look on us, people of many different faiths and traditions,
who gather here today to remember the incredible violence and pain on September 11, 2001.
We ask you in your goodness to give eternal light and peace
to all who died on that day:
The heroic first-responders— The fire fighters, police officers, emergency service workers, and Port Authority personnel; along with all the innocent men and women
who were victims of this tragedy simply because of their work or service.
We ask you, in your compassion, to bring healing to those
who, because of their very presence on that day,
suffer from injuries and illness. JOURNAL 2377
Heal, too, the pain of still-grieving families
and all who lost loved ones in this tragedy.
Give them strength to continue their lives
with courage and hope.
God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world:
peace in the hearts of all men and women, and peace among the nations of the earth.
Turn to your way of love those whose hearts and minds
are consumed with hatred. God of understanding, we are overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy, and we seek your light and guidance as we confront such terrible events.
Grant that those whose lives were spared may live so that the lives lost may not have been lost in vain. Comfort and console us, strengthen us in hope, and give us the wisdom and courage to work tirelessly for a world where true peace and love reign among nations and in the hearts of all.
O Almighty and merciful God, You cannot be understood by one who sows discord. You cannot be accepted by one who loves violence. Look upon our painful human condition tried by cruel acts of terror and death.
Comfort your children and open our hearts to hope, so that our time may again know days of serenity and peace.—AMEN.
Prayer offered by

Imam Mohamed Abdul Azeez
Sacramento Area League of Associated Muslims

Dear God! You are my lord, there is no god but You. Upon You I depend, and You are the lord of the greatest throne.
Whatever God wills will be, and whatever He wills not, will never be.
There is no power nor strength without God, the most high, the greatest. I believe that God is capable of verything, and that his knowledge encompasses everything! Dear God! I seek refuge in You from the evil of my soul, and from the
evil of every creation that is under Your sway. Verily, my Lord is on the most righteous path!
Dear God, with humble hearts and submitting souls, we ask of you With gratitude to all of your blessings, we ask of you With full appreciation to all of your bounties, we ask of you
We ask you on this blessed day to bring humility, strength and understanding to the hearts of our brothers and isters who have been elected to be the trustees of our great state, to guide their decisions, to strengthen their backs, and to increase their resolve to serve.
We ask you to alleviate our pain, to allay our fears and to console our hearts. We ask you to bring our state, and our nation out of hardship, and to fill our hearts with hope of a better tomorrow.

Prayer offered by
Ranjeet Singh
Sikh Temple of West Sacramento

Having first remembered God the Almighty, think of Guru Nanak. The Tenth Master Guru Gobind Singh Jee, father of the Khalsa who has blessed us with the gift of Amrit—may we enjoy his protection everywhere. Turn your thoughts, O Khalsa, to the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib and call
on God Wonderful Lord!
Almighty God, we humbly request you to keep all men and women who have laid their lives to protect freedom and peace since 9/11 till today the tenth anniversary please keep them in your glorious feet and protect them forever and comfort their families
“Nanak Naam charhdee kala. Tere bhaaney sarbat da bhala”.
(O Nanak, may the Name be ever in ascendance! In Your will may the good of all prevail!)

Prayer offered by
The Very Rev. Dr. Brian Baker
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral

As we remember this week the horror of evil inflicted, towers falling, lives crushed and tears shed, help us, Oh Lord, to never forget the heroism, the open-hearted sacrifice of the police, fire-fighters and ordinary citizens who took no heed of their own safety when others were in danger, And give us the grace, we pray to live into their example as we strive for reconciliation and peace, as we seek to be agents of your love, in this
war-torn world.—AMEN.
 

We pray to the Holy One, the Creator of us all, the One whom we look toward for inspiration and guidance. May the Holy One offer us wisdom in all of our endeavors, success in all of our worthy pursuits, and strength from our sense of purpose in serving the people of our State.
May this be God`s will.--AMEN.

So often in life it feels as though there is no end to our labors and that our goals may not be realized. Jacob Riis, a twentieth century photojournalist, once reflected on what he would do when he was feeling discouraged. He said: "When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a
stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know that it was not that blow that did it- but all that had gone before."
There is something to be learned of the story of the stonecutter. It reminds us to be patient with our work, especially when the end is not quickly in sight.
May the Holy One of Blessing grant us the ability to progress even when it might seem as though we are standing still, and may we be given the fortitude to see our labors through to a successful, and speedy end. May this be God`s will--AMEN

For those of us who live in California, who have felt the solidness of the earth under our feet move and shift, who have experienced the fear and uncertainty in the aftermath of an earthquake, our hearts go out to our brothers and sisters in Haiti who are suffering.

For those of us who have relatives who live far away, and know how hard it is to watch and wonder from a distance what is going on in another part of the world, our hearts go out to those who still do not know who is safe and who is not.

For those of us who mourn when we see human life lost or suffering, our hearts turn towards God in prayer.

We pray for the residents of Haiti, and their loved ones as they struggle in the aftermath of this tragedy that has struck their home.

May the Holy One grant the relief workers skill and speed in bringing healing and recovery, and grant protection to them in their dangerous work. May we be partners with our Creator in bringing the people of Haiti healing and peace, security and stability in this difficult time.

May this be God’s will.--AMEN.

The New Year brings with it the promises of spring; renewal, regeneration, rejuvenation and hope. Hope for a brighter day, for the cessation of hunger and starvation, for an end to senseless violence, for a more just and equitable world, for a world at peace.
Help us, ever patient creator and giver of life, to be proactive agents in the realization of our hopes. Remind us daily that the purpose of the miracle of life is to share the many blessing you have provided us. Instill in us, as your stewards, the courage, tenacity and selflessness of preceding generations so that we can bequeath a healthy and sustainable planet to those who follow us.
Baruch atah adonoi, eloheynu melech ha’olam, she’che’heyanu, v’keyamanu v’hegeyanu la’zeman ha’zeh.
Blessed are you, Creator of the Universe, who has given us life, sustained us and brought us to this time and place. --AMEN.

An ancient sage gave this advice to one who wants to live a life of meaning. He said: Get yourself a teacher; and acquire a friend to study with you. When you judge people, give them the benefit of the doubt. (Joshua ben Perachya, Pirke Avot 1.6)
May we always have the humility to know that there is something to be learned from someone more experienced than ourselves, may we always know the pleasure of studying with a peer, and may our studies teach us to act with compassion for others. May this be God’s will.--AMEN.

Let us pray:

God, We thank you today for the privilege to be standing here to offer this prayer on behalf of the Senate. We ask for your leading and guidance in the decision-making process for today`s forum. As we celebrate this Black History month, we thank you for bringing us to this place of love, peace, and joy. Continue to help us to share this love, peace, and joy throughout our land and country. This is our prayer.--AMEN

As I considered what words I would share with you today I came across an Invocation my late wife, Rev. Faith Moran, used at times to open gatherings of diverse cultures, viewpoints, and beliefs. She adapted it from one of the most unselfish prayers ever written-a prayer by St Francis of Assisi. It speaks to the very highest part of human nature: The part of us that is called to serve the common good. Loving Presence, Bless this assembly of those called to be in service for those who placed their faith and trust in them as they work for the good of all concerned. Today, may all narrowness be set aside so that expansiveness of vision and purpose can express through them. Where there may be anger or discord, may they be channels of love and harmony. Where there is injury or woundedness, may there be a willingness to reconcile and heal. Where there is despair, may this assembly offer hope. Where there is darkness, may they radiate the light of true Wisdom. Where there may be heaviness of heart, may these public servants offer genuine comfort and promise to our citizens.
May those who are called to serve endeavor to not only be understood, but to genuinely listen to and understand each other. May these elected officials remember that it is in serving the highest good of all that they will find true fulfillment and purpose in their lives. I will close with the wisdom of the Prophet Micah from the Torah.
"And what does God require of you? Only that you do justice, love kindness and mercy, and walk humbly with your God." May today`s session be conducted in a positive and healthy manner and with ease and grace.
Bless you for the good work you do for the people of our great state of California.-AMEN.
Peace be upon each you.

Life is a wonderful and mysterious gift. Every year, we witness the cycle of life by watching the trees change in each season. The writer Harry Emerson Fosdick realized that we humans have much to learn from the natural world, he wrote:
We ask the leaf, “Are you complete in yourself?” And the the leaf answers, “No, my life is in the branches.” We ask the branch, and the branch answers, “No, my life is in the root.” We ask the root, and it answers, “No, my life is in the trunk and the branches, and the leaves. Keep the branches stripped of leaves, and I shall die.” So it is with the great tree of being. Nothing is completely and merely individual.”
When we look outside at the cold landscape of winter, and see the trees standing bare of their glory, we are reminded that we are as vulnerable as the trees. Our lives are not separate and complete in and of themselves; each of us is dependent on many layers to nourish and protect us. If we were asked “Are you complete in yourself?” We would have to answer: “No, my life is in my family, my friends, my community, my faith and beliefs - if you strip me of these, then surely I shall die.”
Oh, Master of the Universe, we thank You for the precious gift of friends and family who fill our lives with blessings and protect us from the storms of life. We ask of You to shelter and sustain them, for without their support, we could not do the task that is asked of us. Blessed is the Creator, the giver of life. Amen.
 

My prayer today is for this gift for every one of you:
The wisdom to see the opportunities you have,
and the courage to make a difference.

Echoing an old prayer attributed to St. Patrick of Ireland,
May the power and the wisdom of the Holy One
be in your thinking and in your speaking,
In your voting and in your abstaining,
In your agreements and in your disagreements,
In days and in your nights,
In your resting and in your rising,
In your laughter and in your gravity,
In your friends and in your family,
In your cooking and in your feasting,
In your loving and in your caring.

And may we all thank the Great Creator for saving us from the specter of a world without the Irish!
AMEN.

Upon invitation of the President, the following prayer was offered by Rev. Gary Tucker, Police Chaplain for Santa Ana:

The inspiration for some of the thoughts in this prayer come from the do it anyway" prayer written on the wall in Mother Teresa`s home for children in Calcutta.

Let us pray.

Dear God we give thanks for another day.

Bless these senators, their families and their staff.

Give them attentive hearts and open minds that through diversity of ideas they might sort out what is best for California.

Honesty and frankness may make them vulnerable; let them be honest and frank anyway.

Let them give the best they have. It will never be enough. Let them give their best anyway.

The good they do today might be forgotten tomorrow. Let them do good anyway.

May all they do continue to make California a better place to live and work, play and pray.

And all God`s people said, AMEN"!

Saint Francis de Sales understood the importance of ongoing self-reflection for the advancement of the human spirit. He taught: "Have patience with all things, but
chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them - every day begin the task anew."
By wrestling with the parts of ourselves that still need to grow or be refined, we do more than merely cover up our mistakes or our weaknesses. What ultimately is accomplished by the act of wrestling with ourselves is the ennobling of the human spirit.
Saint Francis reminds us that the process of self-examination is integral to the goal of bettering oneself. By each day examining ourselves anew, we are given the
opportunity to see areas in which we can not only improve ourselves, but also to be able to take pride in our development and growth as human beings.
May it be the will of our Creator that we shall always have the courage to look at
ourselves with honesty, the humility to know that there is always room for improvement, and the capacity to find joy in even the most modest of our achievements. May this be God`s will.--AMEN.

God of all humanity,
We live in a world filled with conflict, seemingly never ending tensions between individuals and nations.
Ralph Waldo Emerson observed that "the reason why the world lacks unity, and lies broken and in heaps, is, because man is disunited with himself."
If we can not first find a sense of peace and wholeness within ourselves, how can we be at one with others?
May it be Your will O God, that each of us may find a sense of contentment and joy with ourselves, even as we become more open and accepting of each other.
May this be God`s will. AMEN.

Let us be present to our God and to each other:

Look around you!
Who is the woman next to you?
Is there a woman in front of you, behind you?
Are you a woman?

Who are these valiant women?
They are women spirited by our foundresses:

- Mary Ellen Pleasant
- Maria Carrillo
- Nancy Kelsey
- Elizabeth B. Anthony
- Elizabeth Blackwell
- and Mother Baptist Russell,
whose Statue lights our way outside the North Entrance of this Capitol.

Who are these valiant women?
They are our past, present and future.
They are pioneers, empowering realities, and inexhaustible reservoirs of possibilities.
They are women who;
Believe in something,
Stand for something,
Count for something,
Labor for something,
Run for something, and
Lead others for something.

Who are these valiant women?
They are women next to you, in front of you, behind you—within you.

Living god, today we gather in and among Your Presence.
Valiant women all gathered here, raise your voices for the promise of wholeness and fullness of live for all?
This we pray in Your Name – AMEN.

The 19th century American author J.G. Holland taught that "God gives every bird its food, but does not throw it into the nest."
All that we need to nourish us in life, physically, intellectually, spiritually, God provides for in the world. But it is for us to seek, to search, and to claim it for ourselves.
May we be blessed with the ability to find what we need to sustain us, to recognize it when it is revealed to us, and to accept even what we have worked hard to attain as though it were a gift from the Eternal One. May this be God`s will.-AMEN.

The American poet, John Burroughs, wrote: The lesson which life repeats and constantly enforces is “look under foot.” You are always nearer the divine and the true sources of your power than you think. The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive. The great opportunity is where you are. Do not despise your own place and hour. Every place is under the stars, every place is the centre of the world.
It is easy to get distracted and look for life’s treasures and rewards as something to be found in the far-off future, in another place, or as somehow unattainable in the here and now.
However this is not true. In every place and every moment there is an opportunity to encounter the sacred.
May the Holy One of Blessing open our eyes so we may see the daily miracles of life, and open our hearts so we can enjoy them. May this be God’s will--AMEN

O God, as we soon celebrate Earth Day, we give thanks for the abundance of our farms, the bounty of our oceans and waterways, and the richness of our forests. Help us today to be wise stewards of the gifts of your creation so that we may leave our planet healthier than we have found it for all generations to come--AMEN.

Almighty and everlasting God, give us courage to follow the truth, courage to go where you lead, and guide us to do always what is right in your eyes; then we shall know blessings beyond our dreams--AMEN

A New Zealand Prayerbook (Anglican), adapted

O God, by whose will we are created. Guide us this week to serve your people; help those who work in this Capitol to make difficult decisions with wisdom and courage; give them the strength to set aside rancor, and the patience to listen to each other; and help them to hear those voices who may not be loud, but who need to be heard--AMEN.

Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; and on this Memorial Day weekend, help us to remember those who have given the last full measure of their devotion to our nation--AMEN

Book of Common Prayer, adapted

The great American poet, Edward Arlington Robinson, wrote that there are two "two kinds of gratitude: the sudden kind we feel for what we take, and the larger kind we feel for what we give."

His words are reminiscent of something most of us are taught as children, "It is better to give than to receive." As we get older, if we are lucky, we come to realize that life`s most lasting rewards often come from those occasions when we have the opportunity to give to others, not just things, but also opportunities, or even kind and loving words. And if we are blessed, we find a way to make service to others a part of our daily lives.

May we always be so blessed to be in a position where we can give more than we take. May this be God`s will.-AMEN.

O Lord, hear our prayers, not according to the poverty of our asking but according to the richness of your grace, so that our lives may conform to those desires which accord with your will. Amen.

Reinhold Niebuhr, adapted
 

Gracious God, On this May 1st, we give thanks for the beauty of our state and the renewal of Spring. Give to us
grateful hearts, help us to be mindful of those in the greatest of need, and give to our senators, the servants of your people, the strength to act courageously on behalf of those whom they serve--AMEN
 

Oh god, the creator of all the universe and loving father in of each of our lives. We come to thee and we gratefully acknowledge the bounty of the world in which we live and the privilege that we have to live in this nation. We also thank thee for the opportunity that we have to serve in this legislature and grant us the ability to do that well. We offer a special prayer this morning for our colleague Tom Torlakson in his time of grief. Will you comfort him and his family. We would be reminded as we go about our daily task of the prayer that was first offered by Reinhold Niebuhr “Grant us the courage to change the things that should be changed, the serenity to accept the things that cannot be changed and the wisdom to know the difference.”—AMEN.

Holy and gracious God, in these uncertain times, watch over our people, give them strength and hope, and give to our leaders here assembled the minds and hearts to make difficult decisions that will serve those in the greatest of need--AMEN.