Pray for civility, unity, and honest examination in the Senate Judiciary hearing of Judge Gorsuch. Pray for God’s will as to whether Judge Gorsuch should be confirmed.

They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve (1 Tim. 3:10)

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If Judge Neil Gorsuch is confirmed to the Supreme Court, he will break one major precedent.

It will mark the first time a former clerk will take the bench while his one-time boss, Justice Anthony Kennedy, is still sitting.

The Supreme Court has played a major role in Gorsuch’s life, and the lessons he learned as a clerk — from Kennedy and others — endured long after his clerkship came to a close in 1994. It exposed him to Kennedy, who would serve as his mentor, but also Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, with whom he appears at times to be more closely aligned philosophically.

“A clerkship — particularly a Supreme Court clerkship — is often the formative mentorship relationship for a lawyer,” said Carrie Severino, who clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas and is now chief counsel of the Judicial Crisis Network. “It is an opportunity for a young attorney, often just out of law school, to work closely with some of the most accomplished members of his field.”

If confirmed, Gorsuch’s legal journey will come full circle and land him back at the institution that served as his launching pad into the law. Moreover, he would likely ensure a strong conservative block on the court for years to come, extending the legacies of Scalia and Thomas in particular.

Gorsuch will appear Monday before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the full Senate is expected to vote on his nomination next month. (Contributor: By Ariane de Vogue for CNN)

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