Here’s an act of confession inspired by Isaiah 58. It was written by The Rev. Catherine Rolling.
Prayer
of Confession
(inspired by Isaiah 58)
Isaiah’s people--the people of Israel returning home from long
exile--
sought in the Prophet’s words guidance for building God’s kin-dom:
Offer food to the hungry, Reach
out to the afflicted,
Remove the yokes of oppression
and injustice,
Overcome despair and complaint in
struggle.
We too, struggle with this guidance,
and too often fail in our attempts to build community.
Holy One, forgive us.
Take away whatever holds us back.
Show us the way to confidence and generosity so that
we may be known as your people:
Repairers of the broken places and
Restorers of streets to safety and peace.
O God, with your help we can change and bring you glory.
Silent confession.....
Assurance of Pardon
Though we may have strayed, when we come to Jesus, the mediator of
the new covenant, we can be sure that the kin-dom we are offered cannot be
shaken. We will not be abandoned; indeed we will have continual guidance.
Each time we feed the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted we grow in
the strength of our faith and our bond with God. We are changed.
Praise be to God; this simple miracle is made available to all of us,
God’s children.
~
written by The Rev. Catherine
Rolling, and posted on the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways website. http://www.ucc.org/worship/worship-ways/year-c/p/pentecost-ordinary-time-11.html
