Prayer of Confession, P8B

Call to Confession

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:8) Let us confess the ways in which we have failed to love God and neighbor and seek God's mercy.

Prayer of Confession, P8B

With fear and trembling, we approach you, Lord,
knowing that we have done what is evil in your sight
and deserve to be cut off from you
and from your community:
We have chained the innocent,
imprisoned the truth-tellers,
and isolated prophets
on the basis of jealousy, fear, and greed;
We have demanded the spotlight,
lured the unsuspecting,
and expected special favors 
at the expense of the underprivileged;
We have broken your law of love, 
behaving cruelly toward one another
in order to get our own way.
Lord, in your mercy, forgive us,
and transform our hearts of stone.
Keep us from being consumed by our guilt --
though it is great --
and give us strength to love as we are loved.
Release us from the chains of hatred that bind us
and inspire in us a desire to unchain those we have bound
by our attitudes and our desires.

Assurance of God's Grace

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. (1 John 4:9) 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 day.