Here is a prayer of confession for Proper 8, Year C,
written by Rev. Catherine Rolling. It
was posted on the Worship Ways website
of the United Church of Christ.
Prayer of Confession
(inspired by Galatians 5:13-25, Luke 9:51-62)
We struggle to manifest the fruits of the Spirit,
but often find ourselves bound by works of the
flesh.
We know the whole law is summed up
in the single commandment
to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Yet we create fences around ourselves to keep
neighbors outside
and tell ourselves we have no responsibility.
Even in our own back yard we “bite and devour” one
another.
We wish it were different.
When Jesus calls us to follow him,
we find every excuse to instead go home
or to the workplace to finish something more
important first.
Yet we yearn to be more centered on You.
Silent confession.....
Assurance of Pardon
Despite our resistance,
we can be assured that God’s strong arm redeems the
people.
God calls us back to God’s realm, and encourages us
with a love we can never lose no matter how hard we
push back,
no matter how often we forget, no matter how far we
stray.
We need but ask and we are forgiven.
~ from Putting on the Mantle: Service Prayers for
the 6th Sunday after Pentecost, written by The Rev. Catherine Rolling. Posted on the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways website. http://www.ucc.org/worship/worship-ways/
