Prayer of Confession, P+25B

Call to Confession

We lift up our eyes to the hills. From where does our help come?  Psalm 121:1 Lift up your eyes, people of God, and seek God's help! Let us confess our sins together:

Prayer of Confession

You, O Lord, are Love.
And those who abide in love
abide in you.
Yet we used your name
to build a house on hatred
with name-calling
and threats
and anger,
and we have demanded that the doors
be closed and everyone who is not like us
be thrown out,
when you call us
to welcome the stranger,
the other,
the marginalized,
the voiceless.
Forgive us, we pray,
and remind us that we were once the hated ones,
and you rescued us and gave us new life.

You, O Lord, are our Fortress.
But we who call on your name
have decided that weapons of war
and intimidation
and abuse of power
are back up
just in case we cannot count 
on your example
to show us how to love our neighbor
as you love us.
Forgive us, we pray,
and remind us that peacemakers
shall be called the children of God.

You, O Lord, have called us to rest, 
that we might enjoy your creation.
But we who call on your name
have chosen to strip this planet
rather than steward it wisely
and to do in the name of greed.
Forgive us, we pray,
and remind us of your charge to us
to care for all of creation
which you called good.

Forgive our idolatry.
Forgive our enmity, we pray, and
forgive us for taking your name in vain.
Make us teachable, O God, 
so that we might learn from our mistakes
before they devour us all.

Assurance of God's Grace

Our help comes from the Lord who made Heaven and earth. Psalm 121:2 Hear the Good News: In the name of 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.