Ash Wednesday

[dreamflower]

I attended Ash Wednesday service tonight.

I've decided that for Lent, I will post something each day, something that inspires me or makes me think or touches me in some way...

It may be a scripture quotation, a hymn, a bit of liturgy, or something else. I hope that focussing on doing something, instead of not doing something will help me get in the proper frame of mind.

Tonight, I will post the Prayer of Confession that all read together during the service:

Almight and Merciful God, in a thousand different ways, our lives demonstrate how we have been lulled by the ways of sin and death. We refuse to offer or seek forgiveness, we cling to resentment, fear and shame; we misuse and abuse one another and your creation; we obsess over what is trivial and ignore what matters. Don't let us waste this life. Forgive us our sin and open us to the way of salvation. In your mercy, Amen.

For me, as a Methodist, a Prayer of Confession fosters a sense of "We are all in this together. None of us is any better (or any worse) than the rest of us." Of course, each of us has our own private failings to consider as well, but there are wrongs we have done collectively, as a body-- failing to speak or to act when injustice is done, or when a need is there that we overlook...

It is a good way to begin the Lenten season.

Comments

[goldvermilion87.livejournal.com]

Thank you for posting that.

[dreamflower]

I am glad you appreciate it. I hope to stick to my plan.

[ansostuff.livejournal.com]

Thank you for shariuung this.

*hugs*

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

Thank you for posting this lovely prayer. I went to Ash Wednesday service too at my local church.It is lovely to think how worldwide we are doing the same things.

[harrowcatliz.livejournal.com]

Me too! And what a brilliant Lenten resolution. I look forward to seeing what you post.

Happy Lent to you and all who observe it.

[claudia603.livejournal.com]

That's a lovely sentiment. I like your Lent idea!

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

What a lovely idea for Lent! And this is a very throught-provoking start. That prayer really does cover things, doesn't it.

[dreamflower]

(((hugs back)))

[dreamflower]

I know. It's a thing that makes me remember that "body of Christ" isn't just about one congregation, but about the whole Christian world...

[dreamflower]

Thank you!

[dreamflower]

It always seemed to me that I should be more positive about Lent; "not" doing soemthing or having something seems negative to me, although I know others do not feel that way about it.

I hope I can keep my resolution.

[dreamflower]

Thank you.

It does. It does not really give a person a lot of wiggle room, because all of us have done these things and need God's strength to overcome them.

[mysterious-jedi.livejournal.com]

Nice prayer. The great thing about Lent is how it ends: with Jesus dying on the cross to atone for the sins of His people and then rising again on the third day!

You're right that it's good not to get self-righteous: the sins I struggle with may be different from someone else's, but they're still sins nevertheless.

[dreamflower]

Exactly. While in man's eyes, some sins are worse than others, to God's eyes, they are all the same: falling short of His Glory.