A Confession

Hear the word of the Lord: "If we claim that we're free from sin, we're only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense" I John 1:8.

This is our sin: We have preached love but we have not loved. We have judged others harder than we have judged ourselves and then we have arrogantly separated ourselves from them.

We have manipulated others for our own selfish interest. We have ignored the neediest and catered to the successful.

Those who are different draw our suspicion rather than our compassion. And some who have sinned we decided not to forgive.

We submit to the power-brokers, bow to the intelligent, admire the strong, and worship the gifted. Yet the bankrupt in spirit pass by us untouched, unnoticed, and unloved.

In all these ways and more, Lord, we have wounded your Body.

O God of grace and compassion, have mercy on us.

"On the other hand, if we admit--make a clean breast of our sins--he won't let us down, he'll be true to himself. He'll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing" I John 1:9.