A Prayer of Penitence

At last night's Ash Wednesday we joined together to say a prayer of penitence.  These are good words to guide us in our Lenten journey.  I invite you to join me in reading them, reflecting on them, praying on them, and, with the help of the Holy Spirit, taking them to heart, letting them shape us, form us, and even transform us.

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 and mind and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.  In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us amend what we are, and direct what we shall be, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name.  Amen.

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