Prayers of Confession on Sorrow

Adapted from Isaiah 53:2-7

Pastor: For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

All: Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

Pastor: All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

All: He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

Submitted by Dustin Ray

Adapted from Psalm 10 & Romans 7:21-25

Arise, 0 LORD; 0 God, lift up your hand.

Forget not the afflicted.

We call to you in our sorrow and frustration,

Lord God, eternal, everlasting God.

Why do you stand so far off?

Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

You are our God, even if we have ignored you!

Arise, O Lord; O God, we cry to you.

It looks like evil is winning out.

Even in our own lives sin keeps winning the battles.

“So I find it to be a law, that when I want to do right,

Evil lies close at hand…making me captive to sin

…wretched man that I am.” Romans 7:21-25

Have mercy on us, O God,

For we are sinners, captives to sin, enslaved by sin!

Hughes Oliphant Old. Leading in Prayer: A Workbook for Ministers (Kindle Locations 958-960).

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