Holy God, on this day of pranks and lighthearted fun, April fools that we are, may we not be so foolish that we overlook Your instruction and reject Your wisdom.
As we pull pranks and tease one another, may we not be so laughable that our silliness drowns out the voice of Your wise counsel.
Quick to wield our cleverness, may we not be so convinced of our own rectitude that we fail to see that what appears to be Your foolish plan is wiser than our own perceived insight.
Grant us the joy of laughter, as well as the contentedness of hearts grounded in You. Let us delight in a day of slap happiness, as well as the joy to be found in the wisdom You reveal to us every day.
For Your love for us is far more than a whim, but Your faithfulness endures in the craziest and best of times. We are all the happier for it.
In Your wise name, we pray. Amen.
I suddenly saw that all the time it was not I who had been seeking God, but God who had been seeking me. I had made myself the center of my own existence and had my back turned to God. All the beauty and truth which I had discovered had come to me as a reflection of his beauty, but I had kept my eyes fixed on the reflection and was always looking at myself. But God had brought me to the point at which I was compelled to turn away from the reflection, both of myself and of the world, which could only mirror my own image. During that night the mirror had been broken, and I had felt abandoned because I could no longer gaze upon the image of my own reason and the finite world which it knew. God had brought me to my knees and made me acknowledge my own nothingness, and out of that knowledge, I had been reborn. I was no longer the center of my life, and therefore, I could see God in everything.
—Bede Griffiths
The Interfaith Staff Prayer Room is open for congressional staff to use for personal prayer and meditation. For questions – email StaffPrayerRoom@mail.house.gov
In order to assist Members and staff during Ramadan, the Interfaith Staff Room (467 Cannon) will be reserved at the following times for Ramadan prayer.
February 28 – March 8
Dhuhr prayer – 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Asr prayer – 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Maghreb prayer – 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
March 9 – March 28
Dhuhr prayer – 1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Asr prayer – 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Maghreb prayer – 7 p.m. – 8 p.m.
For questions, please email StaffPrayerRoom@mail.house.gov
Please join us to pray the Rosary in person and via Zoom each Thursday of Lent. Rosaries and prayers provided. Contact karen.bronson@mail.house.gov for questions and the zoom link.
Join us to pray Morning Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer every Wednesday during Lent in the Interfaith Staff Prayer Room. All are welcome– prayer sheets are provided. Contact richard.mcpike@mail.house.gov for more information.
Sacrament of Reconciliation during Lent– A Catholic priest, Fr. Chris Kellerman, SJ, will be hearing confessions in the Interfaith Staff Prayer Room (Cannon 467) at the following times during Lent:
–12–1pm on Wednesday, March 26
–12–1pm on Wednesday, April 9
Please come by Cannon 467 during these times to receive the sacrament. If you would prefer to meet with Fr. Kellerman at a different time for the sacrament or for another matter, please email him at jccuoje@jesuits.org
Hill Staff are invited to this “open house” to explore the wide array of spiritual resources available to them. There are numerous ministries on Capitol Hill – “traditional” places of worship, other faith organizations and Member and Staff associations – that serve the spiritual needs of Members and staff. They offer encouragement and community through religious services, scripture studies, book discussions, service projects, and prayer groups of all sizes. We have invited many of these ministries to staff a table and share the work they do serving you and the local community. If you have any questions, please contact Karen.Bronson@mail.house.gov