Confession Cycle: Great Wild Mercy

These confessional prayers were created to accompany the Lenten sermon series “Great Wild Mercy.” The bold text is spoken by the whole congregation. You are welcome to use or adapt these liturgies for worship, with credit. When printing these liturgies, please use the following credit line: “Prayer by Rev. Carol Holbrook Prickett.”

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Repeated Elements

The call to confession and assurance of pardon are written to be used throughout the series.

Each confession begins and ends with the Jesus Prayer, which stems from the 4th century Eastern desert monastic tradition, from people who built their faith in the wilderness.

If it is not already part of your practice, I recommend adding a sung Kyrie to your confessional moment, another ancient liturgical element. There are seemingly endless settings, but I am particularly fond of Dinah Reindorf’s gently jazzy version (you can listen here).

Call to Confession

Throughout the gospels, when Jesus came near, people cried out, “Lord, have mercy on me!” In confession, we join the long line of those who have come to end of their rope and realized that they need help. In defiance of our pride, and embracing God’s goodness, let us ask for what we need.

Assurance of Pardon

Hear the good news! The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; God’s mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.
Today is a new day; today is a good day. We are forgiven, and forgiveness is ours to share. Thanks be to God. Amen.

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Week 1: “Suddenly Angels”

Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
I have resisted your claim on me.
I have been unkind to myself and unkind to my neighbor.
I have insisted on my own comfort and convenience,
and when I find myself in the wilderness anyway,
I have believed you were not with me.
I have listened to voices that led me to despair.
I have shut my ears to the sound of your angels
pouring tender care into my life,
and pointing the way back to you.
Help me, O Lord, to accept your kindness, and come home.
Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen.

Week 2: “Water in the Wilderness”

Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
I have hollowed out my trust in you with cynicism and complaints.
I have believed you are arbitrary instead of steadfast.
I have led others to believe it, too,
because my own goodness has been haphazard at best.
I have neither given nor accepted grace as you would have me do.
Help me, O Lord, to accept your kindness, and come home.
Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen.

Week 3: “At the Cliff’s Edge”

Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
I have believed some situations were beyond redeeming.
I have allowed fear to choke out my impulse towards compassion.
I have lived my life in such a way that others have no life at all.
>And when you have shown me the path to a more just way of living,
I have pleaded with you to leave me alone.
Help me, O Lord, to accept your kindness, and come home.
Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen.

Week 4: “Pity for the Shrub”

Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
I have worked at cross purposes with your love.
I have been eager for the condemnation and destruction of others.
I have decided for myself who does and doesn’t deserve your mercy.
And when you have offered mercy to me,
I have treated it like a right and not a gift.
Help me, O Lord, to accept your kindness, and come home.
Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen.

Week 5: “Caught in the Act”

Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
I have gone along with the crowd.
I have rushed to judgement at breakneck speed.
I have treated neighbors as talking points.
I have had a heart of stone.
And when confronted with the beauty of your mercy,
I have slipped away in ashamed silence,
instead of staying to learn at your feet.
Help me, O Lord, to accept your kindness, and come home.
Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen.

Week 6: “Who is This?” (Palm/Passion Sunday)

Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
I have used your name in vain.
Because while calling myself a Christian,
I have withheld forgiveness;
I have longed for vengeance;
I have sacrificed other lives out of fear for my own.
I have been merciless.
But you died for me, that I might live anew.
So help me, O Lord, to accept your kindness, and come home.
Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.Amen.

Week 7: “Great Wild Mercy” (Easter)

Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
I have lived as if Easter meant nothing.
I have resisted hope, joy, courage, and transformation.
I have meted out compassion like crumbs.
I have sealed up my faith in a tomb,
and kept it far away from my real life.
I have believed this world is not worth saving.
I have believed my neighbor is not worth saving.
I have believed I am not worth saving.
Resurrect my faith, Christ-who-lives.
Help me to accept your profound kindness,
and come home. Amen.