Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. Senate: Rabbi Arnold E. Resnicoff on 28 April 2003
Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=22722
open_content_license: Public Domain (17 U.S. Code §105 - Subject matter of copyright: United States Government works) Date: 2018-11-23
Last Updated: 2024-06-01
Categories: Opening Prayers for Legislative Bodies, United States of America
Tags: 108th Congress, 21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., English vernacular prayer, Prayers of Guest Chaplains, U.S. Senate, תחינות teḥinot
Excerpt: The Opening Prayer given in the U.S. Senate on 28 April 2003. . . .
Content: Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Arnold E. Resnicoff, Retired Chaplain, U.S. Navy, Washington, DC
Date of Prayer: 04/28/2003
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Let us pray.
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Oh God,
who made the world and said it was good,
we pray our faith– and faiths–
can help us see that good,
despite the bad that sometimes blocks our way.
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Oh God,
who said, “Let there be light,”
we pray our faiths–in different ways,
with different prayers and customs,
but with shared hopes and dreams of better times–
can help us see that light,
despite the darkness that sometimes obscures our view.
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Almighty God,
I remember twenty years ago, in a foxhole in Beirut:
I looked around at the others in the bunker, and had a simple thought.
“We Americans,” I said, “must have the only ‘interfaith foxholes’ in the whole Mid-East.”
And then I thought,
that if more foxholes had room for those of different faiths,
perhaps we would need less room for foxholes–
and have more room for faith.
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And so, we pray that we be touched and inspired
by the dreams of faiths that make our Nation rich;
and that we work with all who share the dream of freedom–
and freedom’s holy light.
Let us see the danger is not that sometimes faiths see God–
see You–
in different ways,
but that there are those in every faith
who see themselves as gods.
Let us keep faith,
but let faith keep us humble,
so that we know our limits,
even as we learn our strength.
Then the time will come when even interfaith foxholes will no longer be required
and we learn war no more.
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אָמֵן׃
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And may we say,
amen.
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Source(s)
108th Congress, 1st Session. Congressional Record, Issue: Vol. 149, No. 61 — Daily Edition (April 28, 2003)
Click to access CREC-2003-04-28-pt1-PgS5401-2.pdf
Contributor: the Congressional Record of the United States of America
Co-authors:
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Name: the Congressional Record of the United States of America
Bio: The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress, published by the United States Government Printing Office and issued when Congress is in session. Indexes are issued approximately every two weeks. At the end of a session of Congress, the daily editions are compiled in bound volumes constituting the permanent edition. Statutory authorization for the Congressional Record is found in Chapter 9 of Title 44 of the United States Code. (wikipedia)
Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Record
Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/united-states-congressional-record
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Name: Arnold E. Resnicoff
Bio: Arnold E. Resnicoff (born 1946) is a Conservative rabbi who began his career serving as a military officer and then as a military chaplain. He served in Vietnam and Europe before attending rabbinical school after which he was a U.S. Navy Chaplain for almost 25 years. After the Vietnam War, he promoted the creation of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and delivered the closing prayer at its 1982 dedication. Rabbi Resnicoff was present at the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing and the following year, President Ronald Reagan shared Rabbi Resnicoff's eyewitness account. After retiring from the military he became the National Director of Interreligious Affairs for the American Jewish Committee and served as Special Assistant (for Values and Vision) to the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, serving at the equivalent military rank of Brigadier General. Resnicoff holds several degrees, including an honorary doctorate. His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Department of the Air Force Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service, and the Chapel of Four Chaplains Hall of Heroes Gold Medallion.
Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Resnicoff
Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/arnold-resnicoff
Featured Image:
Title: Flag_of_the_United_States_Senate.svg
Caption: Flag of the United States Senate