Dear friends, allow me to open the Bible at the Book of Kings. I would like to take you to the land of Israel, at the moment when young Solomon is called upon to replace his father David as King of Israel. He is just a young man without experience.

One night during his sleep, he had a dream. He heard Yahweh say to him, and I quote:

"Ask what you would like me to give you.", and Solomon replied; "Now, Yahweh, my God, You have made me Your servant king in succession to David, my father. But I am a very young man, unskilled in leadership. Your servant finds himself in the midst of this people of Yours that You have chosen. Give Your servant a heart to understand how to discern between good and evil. For who could govern this people of Yours that is so great?"

And then, the Bible says, Yahweh was pleased that Solomon should have asked for this. He responds in kind;

"Since you have asked for this and not for a long life for yourself, or riches or the lives of your enemies, but have asked for a discerning judgement for yourself, here and now I do what you ask. I give you a heart wise and shrewd, as none before you has had and none will have after you. What you have not asked for, I shall give you too: such riches and glory as no other King has ever had. And I will give you a long life if you follow My ways, keeping My laws and commandments."

To the elected Members of the 14th Legislative Assembly, I can assure you that if your feelings or dispositions are the same as Solomon's at the beginning of his reign, God will give you the same blessing He gave Solomon.

I would like to put those blessings in a more concrete way. I have prepared a blessing called the Irish Blessing. I have made a copy for each of you to take to your office so when you have good days, you can look at the blessing and stay humble. When you have bad days, you can look at the blessing and stay hopeful.

This is the blessing I would like to offer the Members of the 14th Legislative Assembly.

May you have enough love for each other to keep you one, enough happiness to keep you gentle, enough trust to keep you open, enough trials to keep you strong, enough sorrow to keep you happy, enough failure to keep you humble, enough success to keep you eager, enough friends to give you comfort, enough wealth to meet your needs, enough enthusiasm to look forward, enough faith to banish depression, enough determination to make each day better than yesterday, and may the blessing of our God be upon you today and all the days of your life. Amen.

-- Drumming