Here’s a prayer of confession and commitment inspired by Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John 17. It was posted on the Santa Maria del Mar Catholic Church website.
Prayer of Confession & Petition
(John 17)
Heavenly Father, Your blessed Son asked that His Church be one
as You and He are one,
but Christians have not been united as He prayed.
as You and He are one,
but Christians have not been united as He prayed.
We have isolated ourselves from each other
and have failed to listen to each other.
We have misunderstood and ridiculed
and even gone so far as to attack each other.
and have failed to listen to each other.
We have misunderstood and ridiculed
and even gone so far as to attack each other.
In doing so we have offended against You,
against all our brothers and sisters in the Church
and against all who have not believed in You
because of our scandalous disunity.
against all our brothers and sisters in the Church
and against all who have not believed in You
because of our scandalous disunity.
Forgive us Father,
and make us fully one.
and make us fully one.
Blot out our sins,
renew our minds,
rekindle our hearts,
and guide us by Your Holy Spirit
into the oneness that is Your Will.
renew our minds,
rekindle our hearts,
and guide us by Your Holy Spirit
into the oneness that is Your Will.
— from the New Joseph People’s Prayer Book. Posted on the Santa Maria del Mar Catholic Church website.
For more worship resources related to Christian unity, click on Christian Unity in the list of “Labels” at the lower right side of the page, or see this Resources for Christian Unity Index.
