Image: from CursorMonkey.com
2009lentpostcollection
Rocco has a post on Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik's upcoming Lenten prayer service " to seek forgiveness from anyone who's felt wronged or harmed by the church." Be sure to follow the link to Whispers for the text of Zubik's invitation which includes this prayer:
Loving and merciful God, …
touch our hearts with your tender compassion,
convert us to yourself.
Grant us the grace and courage to ask forgiveness
from those who have been harmed in any way by any
representative of the Church and her leaders or me,
your bishop.
Where sin has divided and scattered
may your love make one again.
Where sin has brought weakness and hurt,
may your power heal and strengthen.
Where sin has brought death,
may your Spirit raise to life.
Help us all to say tenderly and truthfully
those three powerful words: “I am sorry.”
-ConcordPastor
...yes, they can be very powerful words...
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm thinking of life in general, and not just the Church- (so I apologize for getting off track here)
too many times those words are not said or felt-
and also sometimes those words are said often, for things that maybe don't need apologizing for, but still we feel that (much of) what we say or what we do or who we are needs to be apologized for...
I am so deeply moved by this.
ReplyDeleteThis is an act of deep humility and grace.
Fran
Bishop Zubik makes me proud to be a native son of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. He's doing very blessed work there.
ReplyDelete