Here’s
a thoughtful prayer of confession for the Christmas/Epiphany seasons from Eliza
Buchakjian-Tweedy.
Unison Prayer of
Confession
(inspired by Matthew 2: 1-18)
Gracious
God,
we
would like to be among those who saw the coming of the Christ Child,
those
who dropped all that they were doing
and
traveled to worship the coming of God's love into this world.
We
would like to be those who cared for God in infant vulnerability;
who
tickled and cuddled and comforted the growing child,
that
he might know love and safety.
And
yet, merciful God,
we
must recognize all the times we are more like Herod.
Whenever
we, in our actions or in our inactions,
find
our own need for control more compelling
than
the needs of others for health and safety.
Whenever
we cling to the security of our privilege,
rather
than standing up for the rights of the oppressed.
Whenever
we are complicit in the harming of innocents
for
the sake of profit, or power,
or
because we fear to know, and to change,
the
injustices of this world.
Loving
God,
we
confess our sins against you and one another,
and
pray that you will fill us with your light,
that
we may live our lives as true disciples in your name,
without
counting the cost.
In
the name of Christ,
the
one who showed us the way, we pray. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
God's
light is present in this world.
Present
in the Christ child, born to lead us out of darkness.
Present
in the star, in all that guides us to love.
God's
light is in the world, and the darkness did not overcome it.
God's
grace is in the world, and our mis-steps will not overcome it.
We
are loved, we are forgiven. Alleluia! Amen.
~ written by Eliza
Buchakjian-Tweedy, Pastor at First Church Congregational, Rochester,
NH. She blogs at http://sermonizing.wordpress.com/
