Pause for Prayer: THURSDAY 3/28

The whole season of Lent is a time to seek the Lord's mercy and forgiveness for the ways we've failed to love God and one another.  Lent is a prime season to go to confession.  In my parish last night we had a Penance Service.  Not many folks came but I know that a great many more were at home, at work, at school and in a thousand other places, struggling with their own failings and the desire to live more faithful lives. 

 Whether you've been to confession this Lent or plan to do so before Easter - or not - here's a litany from my homily at the Penance Service, designed to help us acknowledge our sins and to ask for God's mercy and pardon...

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 other adults - 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 my neighbor...
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, Lord,

    -always - and especially

        in these last holy days before Easter.

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

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