If Malcolm Turnbull was hoping for a positive, scandal-free start to the new parliamentary year, the prime minister was not getting what he prayed for at he traditional ecumenical church service.
On the way in and way out of St Christopher's Cathedral in Canberra on Tuesday, reporters peppered a tight-lipped Mr Turnbull with questions about the impending defection of renegade Liberal senator Cory Bernardi.
Inside, he read from Psalm 15: "Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain.
"The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart."
Fellow coalition MPs, who are usually not willing to talk politics on sacred grounds, were happy to give their two cents worth on Senator Bernardi.
"He should be honourable and he should resign from the Senate and run as an independent," Liberal backbencher Jane Prentice said.
Ken Wyatt offered a more charitable view.
"On principle I'd like to see Cory remain with us but if he's made that decision then I'm not going to begrudge him making that decision," the minister told reporters.
Treasurer Scott Morrison was in a reflective mood as he went to pray for the year ahead, turning his mind to South Australian Liberal party members who supported Senator Bernardi at the 2016 election.
"They're the ones he made the promise to, to be a Liberal," Mr Morrison said.
The traditional display of political unity across the aisle was short-lived, as Labor leader Bill Shorten sought to remind everyone that a government that could not govern itself could not govern the nation.
"It is long overdue for the government to focus on the jobs of other Australians," he said as he left the service alongside his wife, Chloe.
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce did not appear too fussed by the distraction.
"Everything is always interesting in this job, eh," he said.
And his advice for Senator Bernardi?
"Pray. Pray hard."
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