Pause for Prayer: FRIDAY 3/28

In many places, the number of people who come to confession these days is very low. Among many reasons for this, I think that many of us believe, "I haven't really done anything that would suggest I need to go to confession."  At least I know that I'm tempted by that fallacy.  The truth is that all of stand in need of God's mercy and all of us have good reason to avail ourselves of the grace, pardon and peace that can be found in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  A few years ago I wrote this prayer as a prompt for all of us to examine our consciences.  So, here are some of the things we might need to confess...

Oh, God…

I confess my pride in thinking that others are sinners
     - but that I am not...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess my imperfections,
     my faults, my failings,
         my bad habits and my wrongdoing...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess being a jerk while driving
     - and lots of other times, too...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess to eating too much

    drinking too much,

        spending too much,

           saving too much,

                  and wasting too much...

Lord, have mercy!

 

I confess my giving too little, too late,
     when I have so much more than I need... 

Lord, have mercy!

 

I confess not being faithful

    to daily prayer and weekly worship…

Lord, have mercy!

I confess putting so many things in my life
     - ahead of you... 

Lord, have mercy!

I confess the time I’ve wasted:

    hours, days, seasons and years…

Lord, have mercy!

 

I confess losing my temper with children...
     with adults...  with the elderly...

        with myself...  and with you, my God…
Lord, have mercy!

I confess my selfish need
     to be noticed, accepted, admired and thanked...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess being smug and self-righteous...

Lord, have mercy!

 

I confess taking what isn’t mine,

    using what isn’t mine,

        and taking credit for what I haven’t done…

Lord, have mercy!

I confess my failure

    to be an active, generous, 

       supportive member of my parish...

Lord, have mercy!

 

I confess being brusque, rude, ungracious,

    and dismissive of others... 

Lord, have mercy!

 

I confess not using the gifts and talents

    I’ve been given to share …

Lord, have mercy!

 

I confess to being careless
    and failing to be responsible... 

Lord, have mercy!

 

I confess the ways and the times I haven’t trusted

    in your love for me,

    in your forgiveness of my sins

    and in your Holy Spirit’s guidance of my life…

Lord, have mercy!

I confess not forgiving others
     as I'd want them to forgive me...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess enjoying comfort, ease and plenty
     - as if I'm entitled to them... 

Lord, have mercy!

 

I confess to being unfaithful

    to my word as I gave it and to promises I’ve made…

Lord, have mercy!

 

I confess my lustful glances,

    unclean thoughts and impure deeds...

Lord, have mercy!

I confess the grudges and resentments
     I hold and carry 

        against family members, friends 

            and neighbors...

Lord, have mercy!

I confess my envy, my pride and my jealousy...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess to language and humor
     that are rude and vulgar...

Lord, have mercy!

I confess my impatience and insensitivity,

   especially with those 

       who are most in need of my care…

Lord, have mercy!

 

I confess all the ways I’ve not been

    a responsible, contributing citizen

        in my community, my nation and in the world…

Lord, have mercy!

 

I confess my dishonesty, my unfairness,

    my cheating, my duplicity, my half-truths

        and my failures to act justly...

Lord, have mercy!

 

I confess my bias, prejudice

    and unjustified snap judgments...

Lord, have mercy!

I confess my insincerity and hypocrisy...
Lord, have mercy!

I confess my sins, both large and small,
     for each transgresses your great love for me...
Lord, have mercy!

And I confess whatever I’ve done or failed to do

    that I didn’t find on this list

        but I know is in my heart....

Lord, have mercy!

I confess that I'm a sinner, Lord,
    in need of your mercy,
    in need of the grace 

        of your suffering on the Cross...

 

I confess my need for you and your mercy

    especially, Lord,

        in these last weeks before Easter....

Lord, have mercy!
Christ, have mercy!
Lord, have mercy!

 Lord, I Need You by Matt Maher

   cover by Ryan Clouse and Patrick Dwyer

If a widget doesn't appear below, click here!

 

 

Lord I come, I confess
Bowing here, I find my rest
Without You, I fall apart
You're the one that guides my heart

 

Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour, I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

 

Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more
Where grace is found is where You are
And where You are, Lord, I am free
Holiness is Christ in me

Yes, where you are, Lord, I am free

Holiness is Christ in me

 

Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour, I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

 

So teach my song to rise to You
When temptation comes my way
And when I cannot stand, I'll fall on You
Jesus, You're my hope and stay

And when I cannot stand, I'll fall on You
Jesus, You're my hope and stay

 

Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour, I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You (2 X)

 
You're my one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

 

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