Lent has come

Phyllis Tickle, both in her books The Divine Hours (a great primer on fixed-hour prayer, which I have used for about 4 years now) and its companion site at Explorefaith.org has produced some simple prayer services that can be used beautifully both alone and with a spouse, at your child's bedside, in a small group etc.  I just went over there to find resources for our home Ash Wednesday observance (can't get to a service tonight, sadly).  I found the Litany of Penance.  I have adapted it (she uses first person singular, I pluralize it to remind us that this is the cry of the Church) and spaced it to make it easier to read.  This prayer should be a good one for the whole season of Lent, but I know plenty of times throughout the year when this about sums it up for me.


Let us pray:


Most holy and merciful Father: We confess to you
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 us,
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 indulgence and cruelty,
Accept our repentance, Lord.

For all false judgments,
for uncharitable thoughts toward our neighbors,
and for our prejudice and contempt towards 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 and all of your church the work of your salvation, 
That we may show forth all 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.