Prayers from home: Congress offered divine words from area chaplain

Gerald Theriot said it was an honor to be named national chaplain of the American Legion. That responsibility gave him access to lead the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives in prayer at the beginning of their day last Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

“My knees were shaking with the first sentence, but after that everything flowed,” Theriot said following the rare privilege that came while he was attending the American Legion National Convention in Washington.

The 65-year-old Air Force veteran has been an American Legion member since he left military service in 1988. In 1997 was named state chaplain for the veteran’s organization.

“It’s good that we take a moment before each legislative day begins in the Senate to still ourselves and ask for God’s grace and guidance on the work that we have been called to do,” U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) said. “We [were] honored to have Chaplain Theriot provide the opening prayer and grace us with his spiritual wisdom, civic leadership and thoughtful words.”

“I think it is always a great opportunity when people come from back home … to Washington to not only view their government in operation, but to participate in the process,” U.S. Rep. Jeff Landry (R-New Iberia) said.

“It is really exciting to have someone like Gerald being part of our church,” Theriot’s pastor, Rev. John Washington of the First Corinthian Baptist Church in Houma, said. “We are very proud to have someone like him representing not only us as a church, but also his community and mostly his God.”

During his military career, Theriot specialized as a cryptologic linguist focused on French, Vietnamese and Korean. After 21 years of service he was discharged and immediately joined American Legion Post 513 in Thibodaux.

Being on Capitol Hill was not simply a trip of enjoyment and opportunity that generally comes when large organizations are present for congressional sessions. There was business to conduct, and American Legion members sent a message to Congress regarding the securing of veterans’ benefits during a time of federal budget cuts.

“With the wars we are in right now, we want to insure the veterans coming back get what is due to them,” Theriot said. He, like other Legionaries, opposes efforts to change Social Security benefits for veterans into a 401(k) plan, is concerned about reduced veteran benefits and favors greater defense spending.

Washington said Theriot’s prayers before Congress exuded what he wanted to accomplish. “[Theriot] is an example to youth to inspire them to a dream and exercise faithfulness and perseverance,” the chaplain’s pastor said.

In the chaplain’s prayer before the Senate he said:

“Heavenly Father, we humbly gather in united prayer to give thanks for your blessing this body. In your holy name, I ask that the wise use of the gift of reasoning that you have granted to all be strengthened here within this chamber, so that the opportunities and paths to cooperation with just solutions will be realized. Our nation has been blessed with the establishment and the appreciation for a system of government that is unlike any other. As we have been blessed with the privilege of selecting these few to represent many, it is in them we place our trust, that they will seek your counsel and do what is best for all.

“Dear God, bless them during their research and in their deliberations, and have them to know that all things are possible through your grace. As we enjoy the freedoms that we have and the privilege of supporting the way in which our government operates, we ask your blessing on the shapers and protectors of these freedoms: our Congress, our president, our military, our first responders and our nation. Amen.”

Theriot lives with his wife, Ethel, in Schriever. They have four grown children.

American Legion Chaplain and Terrebonne Parish native Gerald Theriot delivers a morning prayer to open the U.S. Senate session in Washington D.C.

COURTESY PHOTO