Here’s a prayer of confession for Proper 16 B (the 13th Sunday after Pentecost). It was written by Thom Shuman.
Prayer of Confession / Words of Assurance
(inspired by Psalm 84, John 6:56-69, Ephesians 6:10-20)
If it was easy to follow Jesus,
we would not need to ask for forgiveness.
But it is tough—
tough to say 'yes,'
tough to be graceful,
tough to be loving.
Yet whatever we do,
God loves us enough to forgive us
and to feed us with the Bread of Life.
Let us pray together, saying,
God, our sun and shield:
God, our sun and shield:
we may long to be in your house,
but our deeds show how tough it is for us to live there.
Called to follow,
we search for paths to take us back to our old ways;
given the words of eternal life,
we weakly proclaim the gospel to others;
offered the path of salvation to walk upon,
we stumble down the rocky roads of our world.
Forgive us, Guardian of our lives.
Forgive us, Guardian of our lives.
Strengthen us with your Spirit,
so we may follow Jesus Christ,
the One we have come to believe and know
the One we have come to believe and know
is our Lord and Savior.
Silent prayers may be offered
Today, receive the Bread of Life;
today, hear the words of eternal hope;
today, trust in the One who hears your prayers,
and showers grace and forgiveness upon you.
Today, we are set free to serve God's people,
and to sing God's praises.
Silent prayers may be offered
Today, receive the Bread of Life;
today, hear the words of eternal hope;
today, trust in the One who hears your prayers,
and showers grace and forgiveness upon you.
Today, we are set free to serve God's people,
and to sing God's praises.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.
~ written by Thom Shuman, and posted on Lectionary Liturgies. http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.ca/
Amen.
~ written by Thom Shuman, and posted on Lectionary Liturgies. http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.ca/
