Prayers of Confession on Foolishness
Adapted from on Psalm 14
Pastor: Oh God, in my foolishness, I have denied that you are my God, my Lord, and my Father. Because of my abominable deeds and corrupt nature, I can do no good without you.
All: You dwell in Heaven and see all things and all people. You look down on my life and find my faith lacking, my understanding wanting, and my heart corrupt.
Pastor: I, my family, and my fellow believers have done evil in your sight, and we’ve turned aside from trusting and obeying you. However, despite my sinful rebellion, you call me back to you!
All: Because your Son, Jesus, died on the cross for my sins, you have given even me your salvation! Restore my delight in you, and craft me into the image of your Son by the power of your Holy Spirit.
Submitted by Dustin Ray
Lord Jesus Christ, you gave up everything to come down from heaven in order to love and serve us. Unlike you, we find self-sacrifice hard. Most of us look for ways to puff ourselves up, so that we look better in other people’s eyes. We fool ourselves into thinking that we can make ourselves look good in your eyes, too. Send us your Spirit, that we would be more humble. We long to be like you, our loving shepherd, and we thank you for hearing our prayers as we continue to confess in silence…
Silent Prayer
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Submitted by Chip Hardwick
May God bless you with a restless discomfort
about easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships,
so that you may seek truth boldly and love deep within your heart.
May God bless you with holy anger
at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
so that you may tirelessly work for justice, freedom, and peace among all people.
May God bless you with the gift of tears
to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, or the loss of all that they cherish,
so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and transform their pain into joy.
May God bless you with enough foolishness
to believe that you really can make a difference in this world,
so that you are able, with God’s grace, to do what others claim cannot be done.
A Franciscan Blessing
Inspired by Proverbs 6
Father in Heaven, wisdom has called us to heed her voice. She has implored the simple to turn towards her truth, for the one who lacks sense to eat from her table. We have heard wisdom’s clarion cry, but rejected her offer. By such action we have blocked You out, the very God in whom dwells all wisdom and truth. We have chosen our own foolishness to guide us down a path that leads to death and destruction. We repent of this decision and plead for your mercy, O God. May you reorient us onto the path of righteousness, wisdom, and truth. Forgive us, we pray. Have mercy on our souls and redeem us from the pit in which we have landed. Amen.
Scott Bullock
Inspired by 1 Corinthians 1:10-18
All: Oh kind and generous God, You have condescended so graciously to our humble needs. You have given us holy baptism to teach us such a simple truth: the blood of Christ washes away our sins. Great glory! Yet even in this, we Your people find a way to sin by boasting in the number of people whom we serve. We boast to each other about innumerable other things—how we vote, how we take care of our homes, our incomes, how much we give, how spiritual we are, how humble we are. How foolish we are! Kindly show us our foolishness and gently lead through repentance and into wisdom and true humility. Do all this for the sake of the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray, Amen!
Submitted by Dustin Ray