Friday, February 21: Prayer of Confession

Begin your prayer time by lighting a candle or by ringing the opening bell in the right hand column at the website here. Allow the ringing of the bell to draw you into sacred space with God. Take a few deep breaths, breathing in God's love and presence, breathing out any distractions, plans or worries.

Lord, Jesus Christ, teach me to pray.

Prepare yourself for the reading of the scripture passage by quieting yourself and  asking God to speak to you in this passage.  Read the passage slowly with both the mind and the heart.

A Reading from the Gospel according to Mark [2:13-17]

Jesus went out again beside the sea; the whole crowd gathered around him, and he taught them.  As he was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.”  And he got up and followed him.  And as he sat at dinner in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples--for there were many who followed him.  When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples,  “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”  When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”  

Read the passage through twice, slowly and prayerfully.  

Who do you identify with more in this story, the tax collectors and sinners or the scribes and the pharisees?  I think that I have always been on the side of the tax collectors and sinners since it seems that Jesus favors them a little bit as well.  At least that is who he is having dinner with.  The scribes and pharisees are always so self righteous to me.  I certainly wouldn’t want to be like them.  But am I?  Do I view myself as good or at least good enough?   Or do I recognize myself as someone who fails and who falls short of all that Christ has called me to on a pretty regular basis?  If I were a character in this story, I would want to be someone who has a need for Jesus.

Today is another opportunity to practice a prayer of confession.  Let us join our humbled hearts together to pray corporately for forgiveness to our loving God.  

Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
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;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name.  Amen

How does it feel to pray this prayer? Does it hold any meaning for you? Spend a few minutes meditating upon any specific confessions that you might like to share with God. Is there anything that is coming between you and your relationship with God right now? Record in your journal any specific confessions that you might have.