Presider: Gracious God, our sins have disfigured the world created in your image and redeemed by your Son. You have gathered us here on this day of ashes to admit our offenses, to confess our guilt, and to make atonement. Accept our prayers and grant us your peace.
Deacon or Lector:
Every nation falls under the judgment of God, as citizens of the United States, we confess our national faults seeking your mercy and forgiveness, therefore we pray: Lord hear our prayer.
Deacon or Lector:
For the times we have defaced the beauty of God's creation and despoiled the resources of God's good earth, therefore we pray: Lord hear our prayer.
Deacon or Lector:
For the times we have hoarded the riches God asked us to share as we have not restrained our passion to consume more than our share, therefore we pray: Lord hear our prayer.
Deacon or Lector:
For the times we have not curbed our lust to succeed and not tamed our compulsion to compete to win as others lose, therefore we pray: Lord hear our prayer.
Deacon or Lector:
For the times we have imposed our policies on weaker nations and relied on power to achieve our goals rather than justice and mercy, therefore we pray: Lord hear our prayer.
Deacon or Lector:
For
the times we have allowed our own citizens to wander homeless in our cities and denied our sick access to health care, therefore we pray: Lord hear our prayer. Deacon or Lector: For
the times we did not protect the weak and vulnerable or the times we did not hunger and thirst after the good, therefore we pray: Lord hear our prayer. Presider: God of the Universe, Lord of History, Ruler of All, bless your weary world: North, South, East, and West. Forgive our arrogance and our will to power, wash from us our greed and remove the stain of consumption. May we find in this Lenten journey a spirit of peace, cooperation, and reverence so that we may uphold the dignity of all and regain a sense of global resposibiltiy for our planet. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
