Prayer of Confession, Lectionary +23, Year A

Call to Confession

Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. (Matthew 3:2) Let us confess our sin before God, and seek God's mercy.

Prayer of Confession

O Lord, Bridegroom of the Church,
Forgive us!
We fell asleep waiting for your arrival.
In the darkness, we became complacent,
and we allowed our lights not just to dim
but to go out completely.
We gave up.
We allowed darkness to overtake us
and in doing so, we put ourselves
and those we love
at risk. 
Our lack of preparation for the moment of salvation
has left us scrambling ...
panting ...
anxious.
Forgive our foolishness, O Lord!
Encircle us with protection
from the forces of evil,
and help us to trust that the light has come
into the darkness
and the darkness cannot overcome it.

Assurance of God's Grace

"Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that (God) might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” (Isaiah 25:9) In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God!

Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us also forgive one another. 
The peace of Christ be with you.
Please extend the peace of Christ to all whom you encounter this day.