Prayer of Confession

Prayer of Confession

Originally Written by David Smith, Baytown, Tx

“Let us stop, drop, and pray a prayer of confession. 

Forgive us, God, for we willfully and consistently denigrate, divide, and demoralize the people around us with thinly-veiled words of contempt, hateful social media posts, questions designed to enflame or entrap, and vulgar flags and decals; 

Have mercy on us, Lord, for we loudly, proudly, and publicly bellyache and gripe about the price of gasoline and diesel for our vehicles, most of them far bigger, and less economical, than we actually need; 

Acquit us of our guilt, Father, as we cluelessly and callously live with our basic needs met virtually daily without interruption - and have done so for decades - and yet wring our hands over the lack of availability or variety of condiments, entertainment, fine clothing, and other non-essentials; 

Do not cast us aside, Lord, as we politicize everything and so, prostitute ourselves to misinformation, meddling, and manipulation by others, as if the world should revolve around what we've bought into and desire for, of course, we infallibly know best; 

all the while a multitude of women and men, elderly and children, handicapped and vulnerable - those made in God's image just like us - live in far, far more difficult circumstances, are keenly aware of our privileges, luxuries, and sense of exceptionalism ... and are systematically oppressed and murdered by the thousands ... 

at the hands of people who simply take the very things of which we are guilty - thanklessness, insensitivity, selfishness, and pigheadedness - and give them more fully developed expression. 

Open our eyes and bring us to our senses, Lord. 

Humble our hearts and make our spirits contrite, Father. 

Stir us to do right by all, for this is what is right, Lord. 

Grant us time and conviction to change our ways, God. 

Amen.