What I like not liking

Every day (most days) I do Morning Prayer.  It is a beautiful way to start your day and it brings me close to Wheeler.  On Fridays, my online MP site, Mission St. Clare,  had an extended prayer of confession.  I love this detailed reminder of how early and often I sin.  It also brings a smile to my face remembering a conversation I had with Wheeler.

As you know, Wheeler was an extraordinary man, before, during, and after his work in Honduras (at ages 84-89!)  One day he came to me with a confession of sorts on his own.  "You know, I don't really know what sins I commit.  I mean, I don't ..." and he listed a litany of sins he doesn't commit.  Truly, at times it is hard to come up with a list of sins.  We are good people, we try our best, we are give to the poor, go to church, say our prayers...  Anyway, I sent Wheeler this form of the confession.  His reply email:  "Oh.  Got it."  :)  We laughed about it later.  So, today is Friday and I am just sitting down to start MP.  I thought I would share this with you, not because you are sinners (who isn't?) but because I really like it.  (Actually I don't like it but I like not liking it.)

Oremos:

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Most holy and merciful Father:
We confess to you and to one another,
and to the whole communion of saints
in heaven and on earth,
that we have sinned by our own fault
in thought, word, and deed;
by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven.

Have mercy on us, Lord.

We have been deaf to your call to serve, as Christ served us. We have not been true to the mind of Christ. We have grieved your Holy Spirit.

Have mercy on us, Lord.

We confess to you, Lord, all our past unfaithfulness: the pride, hypocrisy, and impatience of our lives,

We confess to you, Lord.

Our self-indulgent appetites and ways, and our exploitation of other people,

We confess to you, Lord.

Our anger at our own frustration, and our envy of those more fortunate than ourselves,

We confess to you, Lord.

Our intemperate love of worldly goods and comforts, and our dishonesty in daily life and work,

We confess to you, Lord.

Our negligence in prayer and worship, and our failure to commend the faith that is in us,

We confess to you, Lord.

Accept our repentance, Lord, for the wrongs we have done: for our blindness to human need and suffering, and our indifference to injustice and cruelty,

Accept our repentance, Lord.

For all false judgments, for uncharitable thoughts toward our neighbors, and for our prejudice and contempt toward those who differ from us,

Accept our repentance, Lord.

For our waste and pollution of your creation, and our lack of concern for those who come after us,

Accept our repentance, Lord.

Restore us, good Lord, and let your anger depart from us;

Favorably hear us, for your mercy is great.

Accomplish in us the work of your salvation,

That we may show forth your glory in the world.

By the cross and passion of your Son our Lord,

Bring us with all your saints to the joy of his resurrection.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.