Mr. President, Mrs. Bush, Members of Congress, foreign dignitaries and distinguished guests, brothers and sisters all.  Welcome to this morning’s gathering of faith, the 53rd Annual National Prayer Breakfast.  Thank you for joining us.

 

Before I begin, I would like to read a letter from Reverend Billy Graham, who unfortunately cannot be here with us today.  He writes:

 

“It was my privilege to be at the first Prayer Breakfast, and to go with Senator Frank Carlson to the White House to ask President Eisenhower if he would attend.  He was very reluctant at first, but later decided to go – and went to all the others during his presidency, setting a precedent followed ever since by each president.”

 

“Our world has many serious problems, some of them critical.  We are in great need of a spiritual awakening.  I believe one of the great contributing factors is this annual Prayer Breakfast that brings so many leaders together to worship.  I very much regret that me strength will not allow me to return to Washington for the Breakfast this year, as I have done so many years in the past.”

 

“Please convey my warmest greetings to our President and the First Lady, and to my many old friends in attendance, as well as a welcome to those for whom this is the first opportunity to be a part of the annual Prayer Breakfast.”

 

“Cordially yours, Billy Graham”

 

I am sure I speak for all of us here when I say that Reverend Graham is definitely in our prayers here this morning.

 

As I mentioned earlier, I represent the Eighth District of Missouri in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Like every other congressional district in our Nation, the Eighth is grounded in faith.  So is our Congress. 

 

Every week that the Congress is in session, I gather with colleagues in the House of Representatives for a prayer breakfast, and a similar group meets on the Senate side of the Capitol.  That hour is the most valuable in the week, because we set aside politics and policy.  We leave our titles and our party labels at the door.  For that hour, we are simply brothers and sisters, gathered in conversation with one another and with God. 

 

Today, the agenda is the same – to find common ground in the spirit of Jesus, to fellowship awhile, to think about how we might walk more with Him in the world.  Today, we are not only leaders; we are followers all.  We are present here in the eyes of the Lord: equal, special, full of life.

Though this is a national Prayer Breakfast, we have guests from over 140 nations.  We are a cross-section of faiths, beliefs and backgrounds.  We have gathered as friends, bound by our personal relationships to one another – and we defy any other classification. 

 

In our world, early in this century, we face a familiar question on new terms.

 

In the face of hunger, poverty, moral confusion, oppression, and fear; in the wake of a tsunami, in the midst of terrorism:  How do we lift the heavy bushel of these troubles to shine light from the lamp of our faith? 

 

Our guests and speakers here today can help us lift this bushel.  As we break bread together, let us set our minds to this rewarding task.  Let us lift up in prayer our President and First Lady.  Let us seek God’s blessing as we pray for the poor and less fortunate.

 

As we follow the example which Jesus set for us, we are always making progress in the quest to share our faith.  As brothers and sisters, let us free God’s light in the world today.  Let us look to the guidance He freely gives to us.