A Season of Repentance and Confession

Justice is turned back,
and righteousness stands at a distance;
for truth stumbles in the public square,
and uprightness cannot enter.
Truth is lacking,
and whoever turns from evil is despoiled.
YHWH saw it, and it displeased him
that there was no justice.
He saw that there was no one,
and was appalled that there was no one to intervene.
--Isaiah 59:14-16a NRSV.
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If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?
For even sinners love those who love them.
If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?
For even sinners do the same.
If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you?
Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return.
--Luke 6:32-34

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A Confession (from The Mennonite Hymnal #691).
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Almighty God, Spirit of purity and grace,
whose dwelling is with the humble and contrite heart,
hear your children's confession of sin and grant us mercy.
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For all that has been evil in our lives;
for unholy thoughts and impure motives,
for any scorn of goodness, trifling with truth, and indifference to beauty,
for being petty when we could have been gracious,
forgive us, O God.
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For lack of love toward you,
whose love has never failed;
for doubt in your providence,
for acts of ingratitude,
and for disobedience to visions we have been able to see,
forgive us, O God.
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For the wrong we have done to our neighbors;
for silence in the face of war,
for neglect of charity and failure in justice,
for forgetfulness of others' pain,
and for advantage taken of another's weakness,
forgive us, O God.
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For our faulty following of the Master;
our slow faith in [the] power to save,
our timid, hesitant answers to [the] call for service,
our insensibility to the meaning of the cross;
for all that mars our discipleship
and makes it difficult for others to believe...,
forgive us, O God.
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May God, who is almighty and merciful,
forgive our sins,
empower us to overcome temptation,
and enable us to love as Jesus loved.
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Amen.