Holy and Gracious God, We give thanks today for the call to serve. Remind us again that all of us can be great because all of us can serve. Give to all who serve in this Capitol an abiding sense of your compassion; open our minds to see the possibilities; give us eyes to see those who are on the margins; and instill in us a sense of urgency that justice delayed is justice denied. Help each of us to rise above ourselves with courage and strength.—AMEN.

O God, as we approach the celebration our nation’s independence, we give thanks for our freedom and for those who dedicate their lives to the protection of our freedom. Help us to remember that not all people of this earth enjoy freedom of expression, freedom from want, freedom from pain or freedom from persecution. So guide our minds, so open our hearts and so fill our spirit that we may work with courage and vision on their behalf, and so make us worthy of the freedom we enjoy--Amen.

Holy Gracious God, we give thanks for those who have answered the call the public service. On this day as wildfires continue to plague our state, we especially give thanks for those who daily risk their lives fighting fires and rescuing lives. May all who serve in this Capitol be ever worthy of their example. Amen.

Whether we come from a tradition that celebrates the Sabbath on Friday, or Saturday, or on Sunday - the idea is the same. God set aside the Sabbath not only as a day of rest - but also as a day of praise and thanksgiving. A day for us to step back and appreciate the many blessings in our lives - to refrain from asking, from taking, from focusing inward and instead to say thank you for the world we have been given.
May we be ever mindful of the holiness of life, the beauty of the earth, and the mysteries of life. As we open our hearts in gratitude for all that we have, may we never forget to honor and protect, and show generosity of spirit with all of God`s creations. May this be God`s will. AMEN.
 

Let us bow in prayer-Oh God the creator of us all and who loves us each individually we come to You this morning in thanksgiving because we owe so much to Your constant love and care. We’re thankful to live in a nation with the freedoms that we enjoy and we’re thankful to be servants in the great state of California. As we approach this Labor Day weekend we’re thankful for working men and women and their work which enriches each of us and we pray especially for those who are out of work, many of whom suffer physical and mental disabilities, will You bless them? And may we be an instrument to alleviate their needs. And father now as we are now in this last day of this session, we thank You for this opportunity for those of us who will be leaving this senate. We ask that You will continue to guide us in our service, that we may seek to give rather than to get and to serve rather than to be served. And for those who will continue in this body we would pray that You would grant them wisdom and guidance in the service that they render. May You bless us and keep us and may Your face shine upon us and give us peace. AMEN

The turn of the century English novelist, Arnold Bennett, wrote these wise words: "The supply of time is a daily miracle. You wake up in the morning and lo! Your purse is magically filled with twenty-four hours of the unmanufactured tissue of the universe of life. It is yours! The most precious of your possessions."
May we use each day to its fullest capacity, never taking a single day for granted. May this be God`s will--AMEN
 

The American historian, Abraham Geiger wrote on his philosophy of life. He taught: "Draw from the past, live in the present, work for the future."
May we have the wisdom to draw on the experiences from our lives and from the lives of others, may we never forget to savor every moment as we live it, and may the work of our days bring about a world renewed and redeemed. May this be God`s will. AMEN
 

The prophet Micah asks what does the Eternal One require of us? Only to do justice, to love goodness, and walk humbly with our God. Then, we are taught, we will achieve a reputation for wisdom. (Micah 6:8-9)
May we be known for the wisdom of our deeds and our quest to do what is right and good. May we act with love towards one another, and may we be humble before our Creator and humanity. May this be Gods will - AMEN.

Henry Ford was an expert in efficiency and working on a grand scale. This was his advice on how groups of people could work effectively together, he said:
Coming together is a beginning.
Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success.

Success is not defined only by the end result, or by our personal goals, but also by the process. When we as individuals come together with a shared vision, and then work in harmony with each other, then our dreams can be realized.

May the Holy One inspire us to come together to work towards the common good, and bless all of our efforts with success. May this be God’s will--AMEN.

Our Loving God, The problems we face in California today call for very difficult choices. We give thanks for Benjamin Franklin who in a similar set of circumstances of impasse, at the Constitutional convention, called for the assistance of Heaven.

We do that today.

His concern for governance was that we need Your help so that we should not be divided by little partial local interests; or that our projects should be confounded. "And what is worse . . . [we should] despair of establishing governments by human wisdom and leave it to chance, war and conquest." We stand together with him, this Senate and the people of California of all faiths and philosophies, pledged to govern this Golden State, by wisdom. For this we ask Your help.

We express our gratitude to You that Benjamin Franklin was heard and through the efforts of many, one of the great constitutions of the world came into being.

Our prayer today is that You would hear us when we ask for Your assistance in the affairs of our contemporary State, that all of us might understand from You, who we are here for, and what, all things considered, is the most loving thing to do. And then with the deepest integrity, give us the courage to get it done!

Hear our prayer.-AMEN.

At times it is easy to become all consumed with our work, to lose sight of our priorities, and to feel off kilter. Human resource expert, Brian Tracy reminds us that just as our cars run more smoothly and require less energy to go faster and farther when the wheels are in perfect alignment, we perform better when our thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals, and values are in balance.

We pray to the Holy One to bring a sense of harmony into our lives by helping by us find our equilibrium amongst the many demands that are made on us each day. And may our Creator help us live up to our potential by granting us the blessing of peace and purpose in all that we do. May this be God’s will – AMEN.
 

John Quincy Adams defined leadership in this way, he said: “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”

True leadership requires more than strong or inspiring words, it requires action and leading by example both in the public and the private sphere. And responsible leadership requires that we act with integrity and an understanding of the long lasting consequences of our deeds.

May the Holy One guide us in our daily tasks, inspiring us to act with honor and honesty and to live lives worth emulating. May this be God’s will. Amen.

May Grace and Peace be with each one of you during this challenging
time.
I find these by Will Rogers to be a helpful reminder:
"It ain`t what you don`t know that gets you in trouble.
It`s what you know for sure...that just ain`t so."
Please pray with me.
Gracious God of us all,
As this body seeks to serve all the people of this state,
We pray now for wisdom...and compassion...and sensitivity.
And we pray for humility...that we would never become so stuck in
what we know for sure that we can not listen to each other.
Help these good men and women to now work together with diligence
and integrity...
For it is in Your Loving Spirit we pray...
AMEN.

Let us pray, Our father in heaven we pray that as Jesus taught us to pray, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven and may each of us be an instrument in the fulfillment of your will here on earth. We’re deeply thankful for the great opportunity that we have to serve as senators of this state and as we move towards the conclusion of this session we would ask as we address the problems of this state that you would grant us wisdom and that in our interactions with one another, may we deal with one another with understanding and kindness

The great American philosopher, and former California resident, Mark Twain wrote these wise words: "Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest."
May our hearts always be open to know what is right and good, and may we always have the strength and moral courage to act on that knowledge. May this be God`s will. Amen.
 

Inspiration can be found in different realms-some find it in a house of worship, others in the political arena, some find it in nature, and others still find it in athletic competition.

Olympic athlete Herb Elliott said: "It is the inspiration of the Olympic Games that drives people not only to compete but to improve, and to bring lasting spiritual and moral benefits to the athlete and inspiration to those lucky enough to witness the athletic dedication."

The Olympics remind us that there is more to competition than simple winning and losing. Our souls yearn for meaning and we look to the Olympians to remind us that greatness comes from both hard work and good sportsmanship. They remind us that how one conducts themselves can make the difference between a good score and a compelling human drama.

May the Holy One help us find inspiration in all of God`s creations-in both the sacred and the mundane. May we find meaning in defeat, demonstrate grace in victory, always strive to improve ourselves, and enjoy the journey regardless if we win or lose. May this be God`s will-AMEN.

Lord,
You are constantly working behind the scenes on our behalf. You are aligning the right opportunities for us and causing the right people to come along our path to help us get ahead. Help us today, Lord, to do our part by keeping our heart open to You and keeping an attitude of faith and expectancy. Help us to see others the way You see them, so that we can honor You and live in unity all the days of our life--AMEN.

Politics is a tricky 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.

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.

Ralph Waldo Emerson offered wise words on how to live a successful life. He advised us “To laugh often and much. To win respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a redeemed social condition or a job well done; to know even one other life has breathed easier because you lived.” This we are taught is to have succeeded.

We pray to the Heavenly God to grant us success in our all of our worthy endeavors, to enable us to walk humbly as we strive to do what is mighty, to learn from our mistakes, and to find meaning in our journey. May this be God’s will. Amen

Those engaged in public service have been blessed with a unique opportunity to live a life of meaning, to know that what they do has a tangible impact on the lives of others, and to leave this world in better shape than how they found it.

May the Holy One bless us with wisdom and with patience, and grant us insight and compassion. May it be the will of the Creator that our work not be in vain, and may we be as free in giving blessings as we are with taking them. May this be God’s will. Amen.
 

As we come closer to the end of a legislative term, let us take a moment to pause and reflect on all that has been accomplished by those who serve our community and our state.
Serving the community is a sacred calling. It asks of us to be mindful of the needs and concerns of all of our citizens, to be ever watchful in guarding the trust that has been given us, and to strive to find the common ground where we can come together for the sake of the common good.
May the Holy One judge us with kindness and compassion in all that we do in caring for the well-being of the great State of California, and all of her inhabitants.
May this be God’s will.—AMEN.

Holy God, You created us in Your image and likeness, instilling within us wisdom, understanding and patience. We ask of You this afternoon to look graciously upon our work, to continue to bring us together for the common goal of bettering the lives of those we serve, and to enable us to find satisfaction in all that we accomplish. May this be God’s will--AMEN.

Our founding fathers serve as an example for us to this day, providing inspiration and guidance. Thomas Jefferson said: “Do you want to know who you are? Don`t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.”

Ultimately it is not our words that define who we are, but our deeds. Our greatest legacy is what we do while we are on this earth, how we treat others, how we conduct ourselves in our daily tasks, how we spend our days – this is how we will be remembered.

We pray for our country and all who serve it, may our actions be filled with insight and courage. May we serve with humility and dedication. May we be known for deeds of kindness and generosity of spirit. May this be God’s will--AMEN.

Lord God, Creator of all humanity, we stand before You in humility and awe. We pray for wisdom and compassion, for the ability to work together for the good of all people and to govern justly. May this be God’s will-AMEN.

A Chinese philosopher 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 will find that the ability to speak and do what is right will flow naturally from within.
May it be the will of the Creator that justice and righteousness will come easily to us, that the words of our mouths, the deeds of our hands, and the paths that we pave be used to heal and not hurt, comfort and not afflict. May this be God`s will. AMEN.
 

Labor Day was first celebrated 126 years ago as a day to celebrate the working person, to recognize their labors as important for all of society.
What has made our nation great is not the work of the few, but the work of the many. It has been because of all those who have brought the toil of their hands, the labor of their hearts, their creative spirit, and offered it up for our collective good, so that our nation, and our state, could flourish.
May the Holy One grant us all the ability to find meaning in our daily work, and enable our labors to bring blessings to the world we live in. May this be God`s will--AMEN.

In the words of Psalm 95: Come let us sing to the Eternal, shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before God with thanksgiving, shouting for joy with song!
During this time of Thanksgiving, we are reminded to give thanks to our Creator for the many blessings in our lives and to give thanks for the things we too often take for granted, our family, our friends, our health.
Even as we give thanks for own blessings, may we be ever mindful of those who are in need and depend on others to help them during times of trouble. May each of us work diligently and speedily towards a day when all people might enjoy the bounty and blessings of our great State.
May this be God’s will—AMEN.

We pray to the Holy One, the Creator of us all, the One whom our founders looked toward for inspiration and guidance. May the Holy One offer us wisdom in our endeavors, success in all of our worthy pursuits. And may we be strengthened by our sense of purpose in serving the people of our State.—AMEN.

The great Olympic athlete, Jesse Owens was a man who understood what it meant to have great dreams, but he also understood that dreams and aspirations are not enough. He said: “We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination,
dedication, self-discipline and effort.”
May the Holy One find our dreams and aspirations of serving our community to be worthy of blessing, and endow us with the determination, dedication, and self-discipline to make not only our dreams, but also our efforts, become a reality.
May this be God’s will.—AMEN.

Robert Collier, a 20th century American author wrote these words more than a half century ago, but sadly seems to apply to our generation as well: “Sooner or later comes a crises in our affairs, and how we meet it determines our future happiness and success.”
O God, We are in difficult times and the well-being of our State is in our hands. Provide us with guidance and insight to navigate the coming months with wisdom and creativity, compassion and diligence. May we work together to lay the groundwork for a future filled with happiness and success.
May this be God’s will.—AMEN.

Eternal God, Bless our country and all who lead and serve it, and all who contribute to its well being. Be with us and those whom we have chosen to lead us in these difficult times. Help us to find ways to work together and
to overcome our differences so that we may create peace and prosperity, justice and opportunity for all people.
May we be strengthened by a sense of common purpose, may we find wisdom and inspiration in each others words, and may we lead with the courage of our convictions and always serve the people of our State with integrity.
May this be God’s will.—AMEN.

Creator of Life and Liberty,

Yesterday was a day known to Japanese Americans as a Day of Remembrance, a day marking a dark time for our Nation, and for our State. It is the day when the Constitutional rights of American citizens of Japanese descent were taken away with the stroke of a pen. A day when the dream of our Nation’s founders highest ideals, of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness were unjustly stripped away from more than 120,000 U.S. citizens.

Let us remember the courage, the strength, and the faith of those many Americans who through the darkness continued to have allegiance to their country. Let us honor the contributions that they, their children, their grandchildren, and their great-grandchildren have made, and continue to make, to our Nation, and to our State.

As California native son, George Takei, once said, it is important for a nation to certainly know about its glorious achievements but also to know where its ideals failed, in order to keep that from happening again.

May the memory of that dark time inspire us to safeguard our democracy, to cherish our rights, to never take for granted our freedom, and to always speak out against injustice. May this be God’s will.--AMEN.

We turn our hearts towards the Creator of all humanity, and give thanks for the blessing of living in this great country. This week we celebrate the birth of our first President, a man whose courage and humility, whose wisdom and restraint, has set the standard for public leadership for over two centuries.

President Washington was a man who understood the importance of living with honor and integrity. He once said: “Make sure you are doing what God wants you to do--then do it with all your strength.”

I believe he was speaking about more than finding one’s calling, he was also talking about how to pursue that calling. We must live and act with a mindfulness that each of us will ultimately be accountable for the choices we make and the the paths that we follow.

May it be Your will O God to reveal to each of us our calling in life. May you grant us the vision to pursue it, and the strength to fulfill it to its greatest potential. May this be God’s will.--AMEN.

We pray to God, to all that is Transcendent, to all that is sacred, to the conscience that resides in each of us: In a world filled with turbulence and chaos, we are grateful for this body of Legislators and leaders who seek to make California a more safe, humane and just place. In this world where we are in great need of hope and optimism, our hearts yearn for leadership that will give us that inspiration.
We ask that on this Valentine`s Day that you our leaders take to heart in your work the real meaning of love and
compassion and look beyond the commercialism of this  holiday. Love is about caring, respecting, listening, feeling and really being there for other people. Love is about seeing beyond laws and partisan challenges and knowing that the important work you do is because you, all of you, want more people to live in a society where they are shown love and compassion and have every opportunity to fulfill their dream of a meaningful and good life.
As Ghandi said" "Where there is love, there is life." I would modify that just a bit for the world of2014 -Unless we really start appreciating the value of love and really loving the people we share this planet with, we run the risk of doing great damage to community, culture and life.
May you be granted courage and humility as you continue to  do this sacred work - and may you continue to appreciate
that just as important as justice and equality are to the  people of California -love and compassion are of vital
importance. It is through your work and transforming  ideals into reality that we shape a world that is more loving and humane--AMEN.

Let Us Look Higher to the God of Our Recognition and Pray:

As we gather in this hallowed hall and contemplate our roles,

Let we who live to serve, reach higher for crowns of conscience

And cloak ourselves with compassion,

That we may bring from our districts to our desks

A sharp pencil that sketches on our hearts the Faces of Freedom that we represent.

Let us especially marshal to the fore of our memories the
Pioneers of Our Progress whose bloodied journey
Summoned an unfamiliar courage that gave rise to a Radical Inclusion,

And constructed platforms for a Western state to lead the Nation.

Let this space be transformed into an incubator of our best ideas
And not a prison for our poorest politics.

Let our debate take into account the least, the last and the lost
And from this place of power, let we who lead this great State
Stand as innovators of cooperation and distributors of a new America.

We commence this worshipful work conscious that the watchful eyes of
Lincoln and Martin, Sojourner and Chavez, Rosa and Johnson, Thurgood
and Tubman crowd the celestial balcony,

Rooting for each of us to rise for all of us
And for once, build a house united for itself
That stands to create a world that works for all.

This is enough! Let every builder say, "AMEN."
 

God of all humanity,
In the Bible you recount the challenges of the Israelites wandering in the dessert. That ancient wilderness exists for us still, offering us hope and inspiration each in our own lives, as we wander through our own personal obstacles that need to be overcome. Reminding us that with perseverance and withfaith in You, and in ourselves, there is almost nothing that can not be.
The American Historian, Carl Becker once wrote on the topic of faith and the frontier. His words apply to us still. He wrote:
"Idealism must always prevail on the frontier, for the frontier, whether geographical or intellectual, offers little hope to those who see things as they are. To venture into the wilderness," he says, "one must see it, not as it is, but as it will be."
May it be the will of our Creator to imbue our hearts with the power to see beyond what is, and grant us the ability to find a way to create what might be. May this be God`s will. Amen
 

Creator of Heaven and Earth,

The Psalmist cried out to You: “Sing to the Eternal with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the lyre to our God; Who covers the heaven with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass grow on the mountains. (Psalms147:7-8)”

We give thanks to You for the blessing of rain. May it continue to fall in the right season, and in the right amounts, nourishing our land, giving sustenance to our fields and filling our lakes and our rivers.

May it be Your will O God to be compassionate upon us so that our Great State continue to be a land of plenty, with white capped mountains, rushing rivers, and green and golden fields. May this be God’s will.-AMEN.

The Austrian physician and writer, Arthur Schnitzler wrote about the human condition. He said:
“The meaning of our life is the road, not the goal. For each answer is elusive, each fulfillment melts away between our fingers, and the goal is no longer a goal once it is attained.”

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 unexpected 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.

Many of us feel God`s presence in nature when surrounded by the Holy One`s creations. For others, God`s presence can seem a mystery, hidden from their view. But here in the midst of winter, the trees laid bare of their foliage, if we take the time to look, we will witness the miracle of creation, and see that the world is beginning to awake again. The tiniest bit of green starting to emerge, new life appearing on a bare branch, reminding us that to everything there is a season, doubt and faith, death and birth, there is a place for everything and everyone under the heavens.
May it be the will of our Creator that our "eyes be ever open to the wonders around us, and may our hearts rejoice in miracles that occur each day, reminding us that every day is a gift to be cherished, and cause for us to give thanks. May this be God`s will--AMEN.

We toil each and every day, striving to do good, and to leave our mark on the world. Some of our efforts succeed, and some do not.
But as the great Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw once observed “a life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.”
Often times our most important lessons come from trying and failing. But nothing is gained, or learned, by not trying at all.
May the Holy One bless us with the courage to be willing to make mistakes while in the pursuit of doing what is right and good. May we never stop striving to live an honorable life filled with great ideas and daring action. And may we always learn from all of our experiences.
May this be God’s will. -- AMEN.

Dear God,

We ask for your supernatural wisdom and clear direction for our State and the people we serve.
We ask for creativity, courage, ability and abundance to meet the needs of all who dwell here.
We ask that you will bless us with a great family, good friends and good health.
Bless us with favor and fulfillment.
Bless us with supernatural strength for tasks at hand.
Bless us with a positive outlook on life.
We ask that any negative words that have been spoken over us will be broken and not have effect.
We ask that everything we put our hands to will prosper and succeed.
Thank you for your blessing and for this great land you have given us to live in. -- AMEN

This coming Monday our nation will celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. But on this day we celebrate more than the accomplishments of a single man. We celebrate what his life represented. We celebrate the many men, women, and children who put their own lives on the line to create a more perfect nation for all its citizens, regardless of the color of their skin.
Rev. King’s good friend and advisor, the Rev. Ralph Abernathy once said “I don`t know what the future may hold, but I know who holds the future.” Because Rev. Abernathy was a man of God, it is easy to assume that he simply meant that the future was in God’s hands alone.
But the Holy One has given humanity this earth to tend and to till, to protect and to heal.
We hold the future in our hands. Since our nation’s founding, we have understood the important truth, that our Creator has endowed us with a sense of right and wrong, and the ability to establish a nation that serves all its people with liberty and justice for all. May the Holy One grant us the strength to continue the work of creating a more perfect union for all of our brothers and sisters.
May this be God’s will.--AMEN.

The nature of being human is to seek a greater understanding of our lives, to examine our existence, and even to question our purpose on this earth. For each of us these questions have different answers.

For the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., the purpose of life was not to glorify oneself, to work for riches or for fame. No, as this servant of God once said “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”

When we serve our fellow human beings, when we elevate their reality, when we strengthen their dignity, when we protect their rights and listen to their cries, we are not only serving them, but we are also serving our Creator.

We turn to the Holy One for inspiration and strength as we ask ourselves, "what are we doing for others?” Whether we are politicians, civil servants, or private citizens, whether we are people who have faith in God or in each other, this essential question “what are we doing for others?” has the ability to not only provide meaning to our own lives, but also the power to bring redemption into our world.

May the One in whose image we were created help us to see what is divine, holy and sacred in our fellow human beings. May we find satisfaction and meaning in a life of serving others. And may we through our lives, make this world a better place for all people. May this be God’s will.--AMEN.
 

Too often we get bogged down in the details of life, the tasks, the chores, the deadlines. We keep our eyes down seeing only what is directly in front of us, and rarely bother to look up to see the distant horizon or the many opportunities that we are given each day. And sadly, we can even sometimes forget that life itself is a precious gift.
But when we make the time, each day, to stop, to unplug, to reflect, and to simply offer thanks for the many blessings that are too easily taken for granted, our health, our loved ones, our work, if we take the time to give thanks, we can transform an ordinary day into a sacred one.
May the Holy One inspire us with a sense of gratitude for the everyday blessings in our lives, and may we always be open to the awe and wonder that exists in our world each and every day.
May this be God’s will--AMEN.
 

Creator of all humanity,

Each year You grant us an opportunity to write a new chapter in the Book of Life. And each year we remind ourselves of the importance of setting new goals, of dreaming new dreams, and allowing ourselves the gift of a fresh start.

May this be the year when we do not squander the promise of tomorrow with regrets of what might have been. But rather, let this year be the one where our resolutions are fulfilled, our dreams realized. And when we look back on this year, may it be with gratitude and joy, and with a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. May this be God’s will.--AMEN.

When speaking about our soldiers who died in service to our country, General George S. Patton once said that it is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, he said, we should thank God that such men lived.
And so this weekend as each of us takes the time to remember and to honor the men and women of the American Armed Forces who have died in service to our country, let us offer prayers of thanksgiving for their courage and bravery, for their devotion and patriotism, let us thank God that when called to serve, they stepped forward and said “Here I am.”

Let us learn from their example, let us offer comfort to their families, and let us honor their memories not only with prayers and speeches and parades, but with our own acts of courage to serve and protect the country that they died for.

May the Holy One makes us worthy of the sacrifices that have been made on our behalf, and may the souls of those who died find peace and shelter in the presence of our Creator. We pray that the Source of all life bring solace and comfort to their families, and may the time come soon when our country is blessed with peace. May this be God’s will. 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 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 as important as 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 better ourselves, but also to be able to take pride in our development and growth as human beings.
May it be the will of the 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.

John Hawes wrote a bit of advice that I believe is still relevant. He wrote: “Aim at the sun, and you may not reach it: but your arrow will fly higher than if aimed on a level with yourself.”
May we always have the ability to dream of a more perfect world, and may we always have the strength and determination to make our dreams become a reality. May this be God’s will. Amen.

Louis Pasteur once said: “Blessed is he who carries within himself an ideal and who obeys it. Therein lies the seeds of great thoughts and great actions.”
It is sad that citizens so often believe that those who serve in public office are rarely motivated by great thoughts or strong ideals.
In truth it is difficult to hold fast to one’s idealistic aspirations when faced with a complicated bureaucracy, exasperating schedules, and unrealistic expectations.
However, what is so extraordinary about politics is that in the midst of all of this chaos and difficulty, great thoughts and great actions are so often found at the very heart of our legislature.
May we be so blessed to always be conscious of our ideals, and may we never be afraid to allow our ideals to grow into great thoughts and even greater actions. May this be God’s will. Amen.

The celebrated Southern writer, Lillian Smith, wrote about the necessary values of life. She wrote:
The unpardonable sin for every human being is to have more knowledge than understanding, more power than love; to know more about the earth than the people who live in it; to invent quick means of travel to faraway places when the one cannot grope one’s way within one’s own heart. For freedom is a dreadful thing unless it goes hand in hand with responsibility.
Freedom is both a fragile thing and the source of our strength. True freedom brings with it the obligation to act responsibly and to do what is in our power to preserve freedom not only for ourselves, but for all humanity.
May our understanding of freedom be infused with love and compassion, a sensitivity to others and an awareness of self. And may the Source of Life inspire us to always act with responsibility and thoughtfulness. May this be God’s will.--Amen.

Eric Fromm, the noted American thinker, taught that: “Do not do to others what you have them do to you is one of the fundamental principles of ethics. But,” he says, “it is equally justifiable to state: Whatever you do to others, you also do to yourself.”
People do not exist in isolation from one another. Rather, we live in a state of relationship with those around us. While we are very often aware of the impact that the behavior of those around us has on our lives, we sometimes forget that the way we treat others also impacts who we are and how we live.

If we approach the world with kindness, compassion and joy, we will become more open to receiving it.

May the Holy One of Blessing grant us the wisdom, strength and ability to create the world we wish to live in. May this be God’s will. Amen.
 

When we are very young we look eagerly towards each birthday,yearning for time to pass more quickly so we can begin our life. And when we are very old we pray for time to slow down, aware of what a precious gift each day is.
But in the middle we too often don’t take the time to appreciate that wherever we are in life is where we should be. Birthdays are more than milestones, they are reminders. They are reminders for us to stop and reflect, and most of all to appreciate not only our own life, but the blessings that others bring into our lives as well.
Today is the birthday of both Greg Schmidt, the Secretary of the Senate and Tony Beard, the Sergeant at Arms. And we give thanks to the Holy One for these two loyal servants of the State of California. We give thanks for their gift of service to this State and to us, we give thanks for their dedication and their integrity, their kindness and their companionship. May the Holy One, the Creator of us all, grant them each good health and a good life and may all of their worthy endeavors find blessing in
God’s eyes.—AMEN.

loving God of us all,
As we seek to serve you and the people of this state,
May we have both a sense of urgency and a sense of patience.
A sense of urgency in dealing with the problems and challenges we face in our wonderful state
--an urgency to meet the needs of our many residents struggling to make ends meet
--an urgency to help our businesses be the force that moves our economy forward
--an urgency to safeguard the health and well being of our people
--an urgency to protect the land and the water and the air of which we are
stewards
--an urgency to govern responsibly and honestly and transparently We need urgency.
And we need patience.
--the patience to listen respectfully to each other
--the patience to carefully pursue actions that will benefit the widest number of
our states` residents, not just our immediate circle
--the patience to resolutely hope and believe - even when hoping and believing may seem foolish - to hope and believe that by faithfully working together, we can reclaim a bright future for our children and grandchildren and generations to come in California

Gracious God, we come before you this day with thanks for the many blessings of our life in this great state. We ask that you grant our state leaders clarity of purpose and the wisdom to know what is right; give them patience and strength to listen to each other that they may find common ground and courage to act. May they be ever mindful of those the most in need, the most vulnerable, and those with no voice. May their deliberations be marked by your generosity and grace, this day and always--AMEN

Today is Flag Day. It celebrates the adoption of our flag by the Second Continental Congress in 1777. It has become for us not just the symbol of our country, but the symbol of freedom, of hope, and of liberty.
Just a year earlier, on July 4, 1776, in the Declaration of Independence, our nation’s founder’s declared to the world that all people are created equal, endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, and among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
May our flag continue to inspire within us and within all of humankind the noble ideals that our founders and subsequent generations have fought to protect. May these ideals take root in each of our hearts and be manifest in our actions and in our words. May this be God’s will. Amen.

The Italian writer Ignazio Silone questioned the nature of human beings. He wrote: “How many times have I been misunderstood and thought: Why did so-and-so jump readily to a conclusion about me, when I am so different from what he seems to think of me, or when I meant something quite other than how she took it? If that be so,” he said, “ then keep me from jumping to such conclusions about others; teach me to wait and learn, and to accept that they don’t have to be like me, or I like them, for us to live together.”
May we always be inclined towards keeping an open mind and open ear to what others do and say. May we always be known for our tolerance and compassion towards all of God’s children. And may we find a way that all of humanity can live in peace and harmony with each other. May this be God’s will.---AMEN.

The turn of the century English novelist, Arnold Bennett, wrote these wise words: “The supply of time is a daily miracle. You wake up in the morning and lo! Your purse is magically filled with twenty-four hours of the unmanufactured tissue of the universe of life. It is yours! The most precious of your possessions.”
May it be the will of our Creator that we use each day to its fullest capacity, never taking a single day for granted. May this be God’s will. Amen.

Often considered one of the greatest legislators that ever served our nation, Senator Henry Clay’s writings remind us that there is never an easy time to serve in office. Every age is filled with its debates and disagreements, different visions of how to go forward.
He advised that “All legislation, all government, all society is founded upon the principle of mutual concession, politeness, comity, courtesy, upon these everything is based...”
Our strength comes from the civil and open exchange of ideas, learning from one another, and finally, in finding common ground, and compromise.
May the Blessed God, the Creator of us all help us to find merit in each other’s ideas and beliefs, teach us to understand and respect each other’s perspectives, and enable us to come together for the greater good of our State. May this be God’s will. AMEN.

The American author, Walter Anderson wrote:

“I am responsible. Although I may not be able to prevent the worst from happening, I am responsible for my attitude toward the inevitable misfortunes that darken life. Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have…life itself.”

To be a person of character, indeed to be a full human being, means to take responsibility for acting in response to the best of our abilities. To often we ask ourselves questions about blame, using the word “responsibility” only when we are at fault. But, instead, we are called to stand up and take part in building a future—no matter the source and no matter the reasons for our present.

Let each of our hearts arise this very morning in response to this call. Let us move from pain and mistakes and craft our responses in the name of life. May this call inspire us to build a future about which we may all be proud.

And let us say, Amen.

In his inaugural speech after being selected to succeed the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the first Caliph, Abu Bakr, established humility and the rule of law for his government when he declared:

“O people, I have been selected your leader although I am not better than anyone of you. If I do well, support me. If I do wrong, set me right. Listen, follow me as long as I obey the law; and disobey me if I fail to follow the law.”

O Mighty God we pray:

1. To guide our senators to the way of humility when arrogance appears to be the attractive way,

2. To instill in them compassion in dealing with each other while running the affairs of our State,

3. To bring them together to set examples for how people of opposing views can work out their differences for the good of all the diverse people of California,

4. To Give them the vision to see right as right and help them to follow it, and see wrong as wrong and help them to avoid it,

With God’s peace and blessings,

Keshavan Nair, a noted scholar and business advisor, teaches that "with courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble. Courage," he teaches, "is the foundation of integrity."

May the Holy One bless us with courage, strength, compassion, wisdom and most of all integrity.
May this be God`s will. Amen.

Mary McLeod Bethune, a civil rights leader and educator, taught that "Faith is the first factor in a life devoted to service. Without it," she said "nothing is possible. With it, nothing is impossible."

We pray to the Holy One to sustain our faith and guide us as we seek to serve. Bless us with wisdom, insight, and success in our daily work.

May this be God`s will.-AMEN.

Today, and this coming week, is a time for us to take stock of who we are as a state and as a nation. To examine how far we have come, and to see what work still needs to be done. The Reverend Martin Luther King taught that “everybody can be great . . . because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve,” he said. “. . . You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.”
California is blessed by the many men and women, both elected and non-elected, who have chosen to serve our state. May the Holy One show compassion on all who have dedicated themselves to a life of service. May their hearts ever be full of grace, and their souls filled with a love and passion for what they do.
May this be God’s will.—AMEN.

Winston Churchill once said that “difficulties mastered are opportunities won.” We have before us many difficulties waiting to be transformed into opportunities. May the Holy One give us light to guide our way, and grant
us the ability to find possibilities where they might seem absent, may we overcome any stumbling blocks in our way and master the difficulties in our path.
May this be God’s will.—AMEN.

Holy and Loving God:
We pray you bless this new Senate. Bless each member of the Senate with the heart of a servant. Give them the courage of their convictions tempered by humility. Give them wisdom strengthened with compassion. And in these challenging times, when they will be creating legislation that
will impact millions of people, keep them ever mindful of the needs of the most vulnerable among us.—AMEN.

The great American intellectual and humanitarian, George Washington Carver taught that "how far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because," he said, "someday in life you will have been all of these.
We pray to the Holy One, the Creator of all humanity to grant us the ability to empathize with those whose place in life is different than our own, give us the desire to reach out to those who need us, and enable us to be patient with those with whom we might not share much in common. And may it be Your will, o God, that others will show the same patience and compassion with each of us.--AMEN.

Holy and Loving God, we pray for the well-being of our State, and all who serve it. May the actions of those who lead us be guided with wisdom and compassion, for in their hands is a sacred trust. May the Holy One bring blessings and well being, a sense of peace and security to the lives of all people.

May this be God’s will--AMEN.
 

The well-known Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu said this:

“In this world, there is nothing softer or thinner than water. But to compel the hard and unyielding, it has no equal. That the weak overcomes the strong, that the hard gives way to the gentle -- this everyone knows. Yet no one asks accordingly.”

I sense the truth in this, that the “hard gives way to the gentle.” But what is it that I ask for?

Do I pray that the ends that I strive for and believe in be accomplished? Of course, but I am pretty sure that this is done on a regular basis.

So I assert that the question Lao Tzu alludes to must go to the how of it. The question is:

How might I find the gentleness, the softness, the humility in me needed to accomplish the task at hand?

How might these qualities be expressed through me that we might move forward to the fulfillment of our responsibilities?

So let’s ask now:

Our Father, God, The Presence in whom we live and move and have our being, I ask you to reveal to each in this chamber this morning that place in them to which no harm has ever come. For it is in that place that each may find their gentleness, softness and humility. I ask you to work in them to bring forth these qualities of character in their work together.

May You bless this day, this legislative body, and the State of California.

Amen.

It has been said that “persistence is the twin sister of excellence. One is a matter of time; the other, a matter of quality.” May we be blessed with both persistence and excellence as we go about our daily tasks. And at a time when each day matters, may the Holy One bless us with the ability to quickly find wise solutions to all that is before us.

May this be God’s will--AMEN.

The Bible teaches that when the Israelites stood at the shore of the sea with Pharaoh’s army at their back, they felt trapped, looking forward or backward, they were unable to see a way out of their troubles.

But in a show of faith, Moses put his staff in the water and began to lead his people through the water towards the other side. The faith they had in what they could not see was rewarded by the waters opening up, revealing a path they could not have imagined just moments before.

We pray to the Holy one, the Creator of us all, to continue to provide paths forward, to guide us on our way, and to open up opportunities for peace and prosperity for all people.

May this be God’s will--AMEN.

Brother David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk, teaches us that “Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy—because we will always want to have something else or something more.”
May the Holy One make our hearts open to receive and cknowledge the many blessings in our life. May we have a sense of gratitude and awe for all that we have already been given, and may we find that we already possess all that we need to live a life of meaning and purpose.
May this be God’s will.—AMEN.

We are taught in the book of Genesis that all of humanity descends from a single person. There are those who say that Holy One did this so that no person could say "my father is greater than your father." By this, we are taught that we are all brothers and sisters, part of the same human family,
with a shared destiny and share responsiblity for one another.

May we be ever mindful of all that binds us, finding compassion in our hearts for all people, and treating each other with dignity and respect.
May this be God`s will--AMEN.
 

We give thanks for this place called the Senate today and thanks also for the Senators and Aids who work so hard for a prosperous and harmonious California.
May there be wisdom in this place, but especially may it be a place where the men and women become aware of the Divine wisdom in themselves.
May there be creativity in this place but especially may it be a place where the men and women allow the natural creativity that is within them to flow in answer to this State’s challenges.
May there be patience in this place but especially may it be a place where women and men find the patience within to listen to each other with respect and honor.
May everyone come into this senate with expectation of success and go with thanksgiving--AMEN

Lord,

King Leonidas and the 300 Spartan soldiers valiantly fought invaders in 480 B.C., against tremendous odds. The Greek ideal of freedom was the driving force that strengthened those ancient warriors. Your gift of freedom, Lord, also inspired the Modern Greek nation to overthrow their tyrannical oppressors in 1821 and Greeks worldwide celebrated their independence day this month. We thank you, Lord, for what we have and for the freedom to live, worship, and serve You. Make us mindful that our trust and faith must always be in You, Who will save us and lead us into the blessedness of Your eternal kingdom.--AMEN

Oh Mighty God, Our Father in Heaven, Today is Chabad, a day of light,a day of warmth. Dear God, those who are assembled here today, give them the wisdom, give them the passion, give them the proper thought process to be able to bring help, to be able to bring light, to be able to bring warmth,
to all of those who are so in need, to the hungry, to the homeless, to those who don’t have jobs. All Mighty God, we trust in you. Therefore, Oh Mighty God, give us the strength and we promise you that we shall make a big difference in this the greatest state of the union, in the greatest country of America. Oh Mighty God, bless all those who are here with us today. Oh Mighty God, bless the great state of California. Oh Mighty God, bless America.—AMEN.

Distinguished Senators, Guests, members of the dais and the public that allows us all to serve; we greet you. We greet you as is our tradition
With the Name of G-d
Peace be unto you
As Salaam Alaikum
We would like to begin our invocation today, in this great Chamber of the State of California Senate. As we begin, we are humbled, humbled by the duties and responsibilities of those who lead. It is in this spirit of humility that we call upon G-d in prayer, and ask for His aid, His guidance, and His protection. In recognizing that there is a power beyond ourselves, we can truly see our role as servants to a higher purpose than our own desires. Recognizing the need for guidance and mercy to help us be good stewards in the earth:
We Come before You Merciful and Beneficent G-d
We ask for Your mercy and blessings
We ask for Your guidance
Help us to be proper stewards and leaders for the people of California
Guide us to the best way to serve those we govern
Let us be examples of mercy and wisdom
Let us reflect G-d’s guidance in our deliberations
As we conduct the business of the State of California--AMEN

Nelson Mandela taught that "we must use time creatively, and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right."

Every day is full of possibilities if only we are open to them; opportunities to perform acts of kindness and compassion, and to bring healing into our world.

May the Holy One open our eyes and our hearts to the needs of others, and inspire us to use every day to do what is good and just.

May this be God`s will-AMEN.

The American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr taught that “nothing worth doing is completed in our lifetime; therefore we must be saved by hope. Nothing true or beautiful makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; therefore we must be saved by faith. Nothing we do, however virtuous, he says, can be accomplished alone; therefore, we are saved by love.”

May the Holy One grant us enough hope to sustain us throughout our lives, a faith in the belief that what we do is of consequence and that we will one day see the fruits of our labor, and the desire to work with one another to accomplish deeds that will be remembered as virtuous for all humanity.

May this be God’s will.--AMEN.
 

The great American writer, Ralph Waldo Emerson spoke on the
elusiveness of time. He wrote:

“The days come and go like muffled and veiled figures sent from a
distant friendly party, but they say nothing, and if we do not use the
gifts they bring, they carry them as silently away.”

Each day we wake up is a gift, carrying with it both mysteries and
blessings. The gift of time can not be put on a shelf to be used at a
later date. If used unwisely, it is lost forever, but when it is well
spent, it can be savored for years to come.

May we live each day to its fullest capacity, creating for our future
treasured memories of time well spent. May this be God’s will. Amen.

Heavenly Father,

We thank You for granting us the opportunity to once again gather here at the California State Capitol to join the State Legislature in commemorating the 94th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

We come before You this day humbly offering our prayers for the repose of the souls of our martyrs and pay tribute to their loving memory, as well as to the memory of martyrs of all peace-loving nations who haven fallen victim to inhuman acts for their love of nation and love of their faith.

We thank Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for proclaiming April 23 to April 29, 2009, as Days of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide and all of our elected officials who stand united with us in our common quest for justice and dignity for all mankind.

With our united efforts, unwavering resolve, and the strength of our voices and prayers, we can be certain that justice will prevail.

Lord, we ask You to grant us the strength to go forward in our cause and not falter in our commitments and responsibilities. Grace us with courage and wisdom to fulfill our mission to serve for the progress of our community and nation, and grant us the spiritual renewal to help us meet and overcome new challenges and to reach our goals.

We thank You for Your unbound love and bountiful blessings--AMEN.

The Hebrew Bible lays down the command: Zachor - remember. Throughout Jewish history, Jews have been commanded to remember. In the Bible, God commands us to remember the stories of Creation, so that we will treasure the earth and protect it. We are commanded to remember that we were slaves in Egypt, so that we will remember what it felt like to be the stranger, the outsider, the oppressed. Time and again we are told - remember.

After the Holocaust, we heard the call again. But this time the call was not just to the Jewish people, but to humanity. We are commanded to remember so that the memories of those who perished, and those who suffered, will be honored. And we are commanded to remember so that the future can be different than the past.

We also remember that the 20th century was filled with genocide - the Jews, the Gypsies, the Armenians, the Cambodians, Rwawnda, Darfur...so many more...so many lives senselessly taken, so many cultures decimated.

This is a week of remembrance, tonight the Jewish people will observe Yom HaShoah, our Holocaust Memorial Day. On Friday, Armenians will observe the memorial day for their people who perished in a genocide as well.

Our shared lesson is that we must not only remember, but we must also bear witness to the world that such hatred, such horrible suffering, has ripple effects across countries and continents, and down through the generations, reaching our own shores, our own citizens as well.

One of the lessons we have learned from these atrocities is that we cannot be silent in the face of injustice.

We all have an obligation to look around at the world we live in and reach out to those who are oppressed or discriminated against. We have an obligation to say stop when innocents anywhere are being murdered. Because with remembrance comes the obligation to do more than remember, we must also pursue righteous action.

We pray to the Holy One of Blessing, the Creator of all humanity, to open our hearts to all people. May we not be so blinded by our differences that we fail to remember that all humanity is created in the Divine Image. May this be God’s will--AMEN.

I read a story about a young couple who had a garage sale. They had decided to put out a mirror they’d received as a wedding gift because it had a gaudy aqua-colored metal frame and they just couldn’t find a room in their house where it looked good.
Shortly after the garage sale began, a man bought the mirror for one dollar. He was very excited, and said as he bought it: “This is a great deal - it still has the plastic on it.” Then he peeled off the aqua-colored protective covering… to reveal a beautiful gold finished frame underneath.
This man saw potential, where the couple could not. As members of the California Senate, you are all called to look past the aqua film and to find the best potential for this great state of California.
Let us pray:
Eternal God, we pray for our California Senate. We pray for clarity of mind, eyes to find the best potential, and for positive decisions to be made today that will better the lives of all in this great state of California. Amen

I invite you to turn your attention now to that one Presence by many names: God, Allah, Elohim, Sacred Grandmother Tree, Divine Intelligence, Omnipresent Love. It is in this moment of turning our attention to this Universal Power for Good that the connection is made; and when the connection is made, corrections will come. Corrections needed to meet the growing needs of Californians young and old, those born here and those who came here for a better life. This day we make the connection with this Higher Power so that corrections can be made for economic challenges of both labor and business. Our vision for Californians is one of freedom from all limitation and God never gives us a vision without a provision. That provision is, in part, called Senator. God is in the house this morning blessing each and every one of you with wisdom, right action, and open hearts--AMEN
 

Almighty God,

We give you thanks for the call to be the voice of the diverse people of California who have elected us in hopes of bringing concrete solutions to their needs and building a better world for our children.

We look to you eternal God, that we may be enlightened with an abundance of wisdom. May your light shine on us so that we will find common solutions and serve the common good in each of our legislative actions.

Give peace, harmony and prosperity to our nation--especially California. May we be able to clearly see the right path
in these times of economic and social crisis.
And may we be able to walk together on that path
until we reach that perfect union
where your justice and mercy will reign over all.

Please fill us with your presence.

We ask all this in your Holy Name.

Amen.

The American historian, Abraham Geiger wrote on his philosophy of life. He taught: “Draw from the past, live in the present, work for the future.”
May we have the wisdom to draw on the varied experiences of our own lives and from the lives of others. May we never forget to savor every moment as we live it. And may the work of our days bring about a world renewed and redeemed. May this be God’s will. Amen.

I believe that the Holy One delights in diversity. By looking at the world around us we can see the beauty of God’s varied creations in nature and in humanity. And we experience the blessings of diversity in our country every day.

The noted 20th century attorney and author, Louis Nizer observed: “Many people with different backgrounds, cultures, languages, and creeds combine to make a nation. But,” he said, “that nation is greater than the sum total of the individual skills and talents of its people...That intangible quality is often due to the differences which makes the texture of the nation rich. Therefore, we must never wipe out or deride the differences amongst us - for where there is no difference, there is only indifference.”

We pray to the Holy One, the Creator of us all, to grant us the ability to appreciate and learn from our differences. May the blessings that we each bring strengthen our nation, enrich our communities, and inspire us as we go about our daily tasks.

May this be God’s will--AMEN

The American historian, Abraham Geiger wrote on his philosophy of life. He taught: “Draw from the past, live in the present, work for the future.”
May we have the wisdom to draw on the varied experiences of our own lives and from the lives of others. May we never forget to savor every moment as we live it. And may the work of our days bring about a world renewed and redeemed. May this be God’s will. Amen.

I am reading from the book of Ecclesiastes and it reminds us of the fact that there is a time for all things and in spite of all our wisdom and knowledge; our lives are in the hand of God.
For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under Heaven,
A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted;
A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build up;
A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance;
A time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to seek and a time to lose, a time to keep and a time to throw away;
A time to tear and a time to sew, a time to keep silence and a time to speak;
A time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
What gain had the workers from their toil? I have seen the business God has given to everyone to be busy with. He has made everything suitable for its time. Moreover, He has put a sense of past and future into their minds. Yet, they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live. Moreover, it is God’s gift that all should eat and drink, and take pleasure in all their toil. I know that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it nor anything taken from it. God has done this so that all should stand in awe of Him. That which is has already been; that which is to be, already is, and God seeks out what has gone by.

O Infinite and Gracious God,

Our forefather, and architect of our great nation, Thomas Jefferson once said that he liked "the dreams of the future better than the history of the past." This forward looking view of the world is what has drawn so many ever westward towards new horizons, and to our Great State.

And while we are blessed to live in a State with a rich and colorful history, California has been made great because in each and every generation we continue to dream of a better tomorrow, and have dared to believe that we can make our dreams a reality.

The untapped wealth of our State can be found in the potential, and in the dreams, of those who live here. May the Holy One always look kindly on those who aspire to make California`s future more glorious than her past. May this be God`s will.-AMEN.

In the Book of Ecclesiastes we are taught: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time for uprooting the planted...a time for tearing down and a time for building up...(Ecc. 3:1-3).” In these difficult times that try our nation and our state, it is important for us to remember, to everything there is a season.

Through the decades, in times of peace and times of war, times of prosperity and in times of economic crises, this body has continued to meet and plant creative ideas in the fertile soil of California so that future generations might reap the rewards of a rich bounty made possible by the leadership shown by people like those in our government.

These words from Ecclesiastes were meant to remind us of the possibilities of a better tomorrow, that after the winter, the spring will come again, after a famine, there will again someday be a feast, and after a tearing down, a building up again.

We pray to the Holy One, the Creator of us all, to grant us the strength to sustain us through dark times, to grant us inspiration to build a brighter tomorrow, and the determination to make our dreams for a reality. May this be God’s will--AMEN.

The great 20th century American legal scholar, Justice Learned Hand, once wrote:
The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right; the spirit of liberty is the spirit which seeks to understand the minds of other men and women; the spirit of liberty is the spirit which weighs their interests alongside its own without bias.
May it be the will of our Creator that the spirit of liberty take root in our hearts, and guide our actions and our worlds. Amen.

There is one Presence, one Power in the Universe known by many names. No need to invite the Power into the room because the Power is already here and with us in every step we take. This Power, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omnipotent is in each Senator and his or her staff and each of their constituents.

Simply, we turn our attention to this Presence, allowing the Infinite Intelligence that is within us to govern today’s proceedings. I welcome the atmosphere of Divine understanding and patience so that whatever needs to be said is said, and whatever needs to be heard is heard with the understanding that God is in the house.

The great Muslim teacher and poet, Rumi, once wrote: "Out beyond rightdoing and wrongdoing there is a field. I`ll meet you there." May Rumi’s teaching be the foundation of today’s proceedings--AMEN.
 

Each of us have our own mountains to climb in life, heights we hope to scale, obstacles to overcome. But as we face these mountains of ours, we would do well to heed the advice of Sir Edmund Hillary who said “it is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.”

It is easy to get awed or intimidated by the mountains that loom before us. But even if what we seek to do seems as daunting as climbing Everest itself, we must first look inward to find the tools we need to endure the trials that face.

We pray to the Holy One, the Creator of us all, to open up our eyes to the unrealized possibilities ready to be awakened within ourselves. May this be God’s will--AMEN.

As we gather for yet another day of hearings, reviews, and open issues, it would be easy to think of these moments with a Chaplain as perfunctory and obligatory. It is natural to be preoccupied with the agenda you know awaits you and yet, we begin with a few moments of reflection which may be the only moments of peace you and I get this whole day. These few moments are an opportunity for you to still the cacophony of thoughts and distractions. It is a silent golden moment to allow a connection with the power that is greater than yourselves no matter what your status in this auspicious group. As you are willing, I invite you to pause and enter a stillness; enter a holy space and simply breathe.

Most Holy One, in the larger mix of concerns of the universe, you may not care about the minut details of our fiscal challenges, but we need to and we need greater wisdom to find solutions. You may not care whether we fund a high speed rail or not, but we need to and we need guidance so that we do not get derailed. You may not care that we are having such financial troubles at all, but we do and we need to be wiser managers; wiser stewards of all the resources this life offers us. You do care about how we treat one another, and how we care for this earth and her natural sources, and how we respond to you. May we be open to your power as we use our positions of power to bring about the highest good for the greatest number of your people. In all of your Holy Names–AMEN.

Kahil Gibran expounded on the concept of what is a “labor of love.” He wrote:
“And what is it to work with love?
It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart
even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth.
It is to build a house with affection,
even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.
It is to sow seeds with tenderness
and reap the harvest with joy,
even as if your beloved were to eat the fruit.
It is to charge all things you fashion
with a breath of your spirit.”
When we work without passion, the task become drudgery, and our work less effective. But when we put ourselves into our work, when we remember for whom the buildings are built, the bills being written for, the lives that are affected and bettered by the labor of our hands and our hearts, the work we do becomes transformed, it becomes elevated because we have put ourselves into the task.
May it be the will of our Creator that every task we undertake become a labor of love, inspired by those who we have pledged to serve. May this be God’s will. Amen.

America is a land rich with a diversity of opinions. Each of us has different ways to tackle the same probl ems, different answers to the same questions. In his first Inaugural Address of 1801, President Thomas Jefferson cautioned us to have perspective, he said “every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle.”
We pray to the Holy One, the Creator of us all, to enable us learn from our differences, may our diversity be a source of strength, and inspire us to find ways to build bridges that bring us closer together as a nation. May this be God’s will--AMEN

An ancient sage once pondered the reason why the Book of Genesis teaches us that all of humanity is descended from a single person. The sage taught that “humanity was created from a single person for the sake of peace amongst all of humankind, so that no one might say to another ‘my father was greater than yours.’ (Mishna Sanhedrin 4:5)”
The Bible reminds us that we all come from the same humble beginning, and if we take the time to look beyond our cultural or religious differences we will remember that we are all of the same family. We all come from the same handful of clay that had the spirit of life breathed into it. From that miraculous being we are all descended.
May the Holy One of Blessing enable us to see and understand how we are all connected to one another as one family of humanity, so that we can live together in harmony and peace, respecting the gifts we each bring to this world. May this be God’s world. Amen.

Lord,
As believers, we are Your hands and feet here on earth. Weare Your ambassadors. We may have a lot on our "to do" lists, but we have to be willing to make time for the people You have placed in our lives. Not only friends and family, but all those we encounter on a daily basis. Help us, Lord, to keep our hearts and minds open to others, so that You n1ay work through us to be a blessing to the people around