He has told you, O mortal, what is good,
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice and to love kindness
and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

I found this Prayer of Confession recently, in an old bulletin I has saved, from a long, long, long time ago. Yet, as I read it today, it speaks to me at this time in our world and in our nation.

“We confess, loving God, that we have loved darkness rather than your light. We know your word is love, but we continue to go our callous ways, unconcerned about the hungry and suffering people in our community and around the world. We are not only indifferent to physical and spiritual needs, but by our acts or our refusal to act we often contribute to building walls between races, nations, and religions, and between ourselves and those we see as different from us.

We know that your way is peace, but we live in a world dominated by fear and the threat of war. We live as if war is inevitable. We do not raise our voice and protest against governments that continue to build and stockpile instruments of war that threaten civilization – – even life itself. We fail to speak out when vast energy and money are spent for military might, and two little energy and money are spent to feed the poor, to educate the illiterate, clothe the naked, and provide shelter for the dispossessed.

Forgive us, Lord, for failing to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before you. Forgive us for not believing that your kingdom can come, that persons can live as brothers and sisters, that swords can be beaten into plowshares, and that the poor and oppressed can be ministered to and empowered.

Give us a new vision of your kingdom of peace and blessedness for all persons as we celebrate our hope. Amen”

May God give us and our nation hearts turned to God’s Kingdom of love and justice, compassion and mercy.