A Confession for All Saints

January 13, 2011 [Thursday]

          The Book of Common Prayer has been around since 1549, quite a while by anyone’s standards. If you have never read through it, I recommend that you do so (you can find a copy quite readily on the internet; albeit, not exactly the same as the original). There is one portion that especially fascinates me—The Litany of Penitence.

          My son, Michael, brought it to my attention this past Sunday morning by requesting that he read it prior to our celebrating the Eucharist. As he read it, I could see that the worshippers were quite involved in what they were hearing. Several of them made very positive comments following the service. Just for the record: this was the first time it had been read in one of our services.

          When I returned to my home, I immediately began rereading it, as I was somewhat concerned about some of the theology it presented. To be sure, it is quite powerful and moving; however, in my mind something was askew. If you know me at all (and most of you do not), you know that I had to attempt to “fix” what, in my opinion, was “askew.” For whatever reason, it is very important to me that the gospel never be adulterated, that we do not teach others theological tenets that reduce the gospel to mere pious pabulum.

          As a result, I am offering for your perusal The Litany of Penitence as it is found in The Book of Common  Prayer. Immediately following it, I will offer my revision, which I am calling A Confession for All Saints. I would really appreciate your comments.
 

Litany of Penitence

Most holy and merciful Father:

We confess to you and to one another, and to the whole communion of saints in heaven and on earth, that we have sinned by our own fault 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.

We 
have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven.

Have mercy on us, Lord.

We have been deaf to your call to serve, as Christ served us.

We have not been true to the mind of Christ.

We have grieved
 your Holy Spirit.

Have mercy on us, Lord.

We confess to you, Lord, all our past unfaithfulness: the 
pride, hypocrisy, and impatience of our lives, We confess to you, Lord.

Our self-indulgent appetites and ways, and our exploitation of other people,
We confess to you, Lord.

Our anger at our own frustration, and our envy of those more fortunate than ourselves,
We confess to you, Lord.

Our intemperate love of worldly goods and comforts, and 
our dishonesty in daily life and work,
We confess to you, Lord.

Our negligence in prayer and worship, and our failure to commend the faith that is in us,
We confess to you, Lord.

Accept our repentance, Lord, for the wrongs we have done: for our blindness to human need and suffering, and our 
indifference to injustice and cruelty, accept our repentance, Lord. 


For all false judgments, for uncharitable thoughts toward our neighbors, and for our prejudice and contempt toward those 
who differ from us, accept our repentance, Lord.

For our waste and pollution of your creation, and our lack of concern for those who come after us,
accept our repentance, Lord.

Restore us, good Lord, and let your anger depart from us; favorably hear us, for your mercy is great.

Accomplish in us the work of your salvation, That we may show forth your glory in the world.
By the cross and passion of your Son our Lord, Bring us with all your saints to the joy of his resurrection.

A CONFESSION  FOR ALL SAINTS

Father, I confess to you that I have sinned by my own fault in thought, word, and deed; not only by what I have done, but also by what I have left undone. 

I have not loved You with my whole heart, and mind, and strength. 

I have not loved my neighbors as myself. 

I have not forgiven others, as I have been forgiven. 

I have been deaf to Your call to serve, as Christ served us. 

I have not been true to the mind of Christ. 

I confess to You all my past unfaithfulness: the pride, hypocrisy, and impatience of my life. 

I confess to You my self-indulgent appetites and ways, and my exploitation of other people.

I confess to You my envy of those more fortunate than I. 

I confess to You my excessive love of worldly goods and comforts, and my dishonesty in daily life and work. 

I confess to You my negligence in prayer and worship, and my failure to proclaim the faith that is in me.

I confess to You my blindness to human need and suffering. 

I confess to You my indifference to injustice and cruelty. 

I confess to You that I have made false judgments. 

I confess to You that I have uncharitable thoughts toward my neighbors. 

I confess to You my prejudice and contempt toward those who differ from me. 

I confess to You my waste and pollution of your creation, and, thus, my lack of concern for those who come after us.

 And now I confess the greatest of my sins: my proneness to believe that I am a sinner because I have sinned, that you are angry with me because I continue to sin, that You count my sins against me, and that I am, therefore, under your wrath. 

Today I repent, by turning from this lie, and I turn to the truth that tells me that Jesus has imputed His righteousness to me, thereby declaring me as righteous as He is righteous, that You are no longer angry with me, that I am no longer under your wrath, that You do not count my sins against me, and that I am eternally forgiven—a saint by calling. 

Continue accomplishing in me the work of Your salvation, that I may show forth Your glory in the world. By the cross and passion of Your Son our Lord, bring me with all Your saints to the joy of his resurrection.

AMEN AND AMEN!