Opening Prayer – Colorado State House – February 2, 2012

Opening Prayer for the State House of Colorado

February 2, 2012

Rabbi Joseph R. Black – Temple Emanuel - Denver

 

Our God and God of all people,

God of the strong and God of the weak.

God of the fortunate and God of the tormented

God of those who have no God.

Bless our doubts, O God. Bless our second guessing.

Bless our mortality and bless our frailty.

Help these legislators to ask important questions of one another – and, most importantly, of themselves.

Help them to win the battles towards which they have dedicated their office.

Help them to lose their battles with grace and understanding.

May the spirit of compromise infuse these proceedings and triumph over partisanship

May the passions that arise in the midst of debate be only for the sake of the good of our nation, our beautiful State and the communities from which these dedicated men and women have been selected to serve.

Grant us all the courage to grow, to learn, to laugh at ourselves and to see the holy in every person who enters these hallowed halls.

Keep us humble God – Keep us humble.

But push us also to strive to see the holiness that You have implanted within every human being.

We are nothing but dust and ashes. We are little lower than the angels.

Help us to live within the balance of our limits and our legacy.

May this be a day of new beginnings. And let us say: AMEN