Prayer of Confession, P9C

Call to Confession

Draw near to God, and God will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (James 4:8) Let us draw near to God and confess our sins.

Prayer of Confession, P9C

We have blood on our hands, Lord ...
your children's blood
on our hands,
for our hatred and our anger
has spurred us to unmentionable things
while we sit in our superiority
and privilege
and claim no part.
How could it be us, we say,
for we are too busy worshiping the idols
of tradition
and economics
and power
to do the killing ourselves.
Yet it is exactly those kinds of self-righteous charades
that have resulted in the kinds of terrible tragedy
playing out in our world every moment
of every day.
O God, forgive us,
though we clearly have no right to ask!
Take us out of our ivory palaces
and humble our hearts of stone, we pray!
Teach us to live out the faith we claim.
Save us from ourselves, O God,
and save the world from our ignorance
and pride.

Assurance of God's Grace

I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, (says the Lord your God) for I have redeemed you. (Isaiah 44:22) 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.