Here’s a
prayer of confession inspired by Jesus’ conversation with the rich man in Mark
10:17-31. It was written by Rev. Quentin
Chin.
Prayer of Confession
(inspired by Mark 10:17-31)
Almighty
and Holy One,
we cannot
begin to count all our possessions.
We have
things in our closets, our attics, and our basements.
We have
things tucked away in boxes we haven’t opened in years,
and still
we acquire more.
We have so
much stuff and yet, there are those in our communities
who can fit
all their worldly possessions in a shopping cart.
We know
that you, O God, will defend the poor and come to them in their need.
But we, O
God, need your forgiveness
for we are
more attached to our things than we willingly acknowledge.
Help us
confront our attachment to possessions and things more honestly
so we can
share our own abundance more equitably.
Amen.
Words of Assurance
We draw
false and fleeting comfort from our material things.
True
comfort comes from God’s love for us
and by
responding with that same love to family, friend, neighbor, and stranger.
By God’s
love we are forgiven. Let us do likewise. Amen.
~ written
by the Rev. Quentin Chin, and posted on the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways website. http://www.ucc.org/worship/worship-ways/