Prayer of Confession, P+18B

Call to Confession

Our iniquities testify against us ... our rebellions indeed are many, and we have sinned against (God). (Jeremiah 14:7) Let us confess our iniquities before God and seek God's mercy:

Prayer of Confession

God, forgive us.
We point our fingers at our enemies
and accuse them of risking our lives
by their taunting,
while we taunt our neighbors
with lies about their habits
and their choices
and even their names.
We are no better than our enemies.
God, forgive us.
We call on you to rain down your anger
on those who worship differently,
who believe differently,
but we who claim to follow you
do not:
we call people names,
we dehumanize them,
we put them in harm's way
by our refusal to listen to them 
and to show them compassion.
God, forgive us.
Deliver us from our iniquities.
Teach us to repent from our rebellion
and to return to you. 
Help us to remember what it means 
to follow Jesus.

Assurance of God's Grace

(God said,) "I alone am the one
    who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,
    and I will not remember your sins." (Isaiah 43:25) 
Hear the GOOD NEWS: In 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 week.