Prayer of Confession, P+17C

Call to Confession

All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
    there is no one who shows kindness;
        there is not even one.”  (Romans 3:12)
Let us confess our sin before God, and seek God's mercy:

Prayer of Confession

Have mercy on us, O God.
We are so full of ourselves.
Every task we do, 
we expect applause.
Every gift we give,
we want a thank you.
Every kindness we extend
has strings attached.
How do you even stomach us?
How does your Son,
when he gave up his life for us,
and we cannot bring ourselves to live
lives of gratitude for the blessings we have received
at your hand?
Self-made, we claim.
Did it "our way," we sing.
So proud of our pulled up by the bootstraps successes.
Forgive us, O God,
for all the ways in which you have acted
to bring us to where we are,
for all those you sent before us to make a way,
for the privilege we know that gives us advantage.
Humble our hearts, and teach us what it means
to truly serve
as we have been served,
so that we might begin to love
​as we have been loved.

Assurance of God's Grace

God has promised that when we confess our sin, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive us our sin, removing it as far as the east is from the west and remembering it no more. (Psalm 103:12, Hebrews 8:12) Hear the Good News: In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven! Thank 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 week.