Some may think that the Utah Legislature doesn’t have a prayer of being wise or civil. Actually, it does — and many of them, offered daily by Jews, Muslims, Baptists, Greek Orthodox Catholics, Methodists or Mormons, among others.
House and Senate members rise to their feet daily to open sessions with prayer, voiced by leaders of local churches, interns or even lawmakers themselves. They not only seek divine help, some prayers manage to mildly chide lawmakers, lobby for a cause or offer surprises.
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Senators were surprised one day, for example, when Imam Muhammed Mehtar, of the Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake, started sing-songing in Arabic. They peeked through partially closed eyes at the imam and then at each other.
Mehtar then offered an English translation that included a plea to God that had to be sweet to politicians’ ears in an election year: "Oh, God, we ask you to make it such that we may be understood for the good in us, and let people never focus on the negative in us."
The most common virtue sought in legislative prayers so far this year is civility, which, of course, could also be a reminder to lawmakers to be civil. Almost all prayers so far this year mentioned it.
"We pray for civility among these legislators that they will cooperate and work together for what is good," Donald L. Hallstrom, a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, prayed in the House on the first day of the session.
The Rev. France Davis, of the Calvary Baptist Church, prayed in the Senate, "Help us to demonstrate the ultimate civility to avoid mean-spiritedness and to walk together for the common cause."
But recognizing that some heated disagreement may be inevitable, Father Michael Kouremetis of the Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church, prayed, "May their objections be just."
Mentioned almost as often as civility in the prayers for divine blessing is wisdom.
"Give them wisdom. Give them the clarity of mind they need," prayed the Rev. Mac Edwards of the First Baptist Church of Brigham City.
Rep. Jim Bird, R-West Jordan, prayed for a little extra help: "We ask thee that we may have wisdom beyond our learning."
Some prayers included a bit of mild lobbying of lawmakers.
Pat Gamble Hovey, the volunteer president of AARP Utah — representing seniors — and a minister of the Church of Christ, prayed for God and lawmakers to look out for the "elders among us." She asked that they be blessed "with health and peace, joy in the work that life has sent them."
Rob Bruendl, pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Kearns, prayed boldly that lawmakers "recognize what and who they are here for ... that they are meant to be the hands that lift up the people of Utah to a better place, and never the hands that hold them down."
Similarly, Curtis Price, pastor the Salt Lake First Baptist Church, prayed, "May they aspire to their best selves today, setting aside selfish ambition and petty rivalries in an effort to join together to make decisions that are best for the people."
Those who give prayers in the Senate are chosen by staff based on recommendations from lawmakers. In the House, lawmakers are assigned turns to arrange the prayers. Some bring in local pastors, some offer prayers themselves — and some ask their interns or relatives to do it.
Sometimes the random rotations end up creating — inadvertently — theme days of a sort.
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