WBAL.com

he first openly gay bishop in the U.S. Episcopal Church led a prayer in the Maryland Senate Monday night in which he asked God to bless the legislators with “anger at discrimination in all its forms.”

The Rev. V. Gene Robinson also asked for the legislators to be blessed with “freedom from fear,” including fear of their next election and criticism from unpopular votes during the invocation prayer.

Robinson is a bishop in New Hampshire, but he is in Annapolis to lobby for a gay marriage bill and a measure that prohibits discrimination against transgender people.

Maryland Senate President Mike Miller said he hasn’t had a chance to read either measure yet, but that based on past history, the bills might face difficulty in the Senate.