Penitence and Reconciliation - March 5

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 95* & 32, 143; PM Psalm 102, 130   ; Jonah 3:1-4:11; Heb. 12:1-14; Luke 18:9-14

Ash Wednesday is one of the most powerful liturgies in the Christian tradition. It speaks bluntly to our mortality and, through a litany of prayers, acknowledges humanity’s deep brokenness and its role in the world’s injustice. As Christians, repentance is the means by which we enter into right relationship with God. In a world that constantly seeks to shift blame, there is profound wisdom—and hope—in the Church modeling a different way: a community that turns inward in repentance, embodying humility for the sake of the world.

I encourage you to reflect on the following litany of penitence (pages 267-269 of the Book of Common Prayer):

We have not loved you with our whole heart, 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 ourselves,
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.

For the wrongs we have done:
For our blindness to human need and suffering,
And our indifference to injustice and cruelty,
Accept our repentance, Lord.

For all false judgments,
For uncharitable thoughts toward our neighbors,
And for our prejudice and contempt toward 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.

This litany covers, in many ways, all the problems of the world. Modeling self-reflection and a desire for growth is itself an act of humility—one necessary for the healing of our people and our world. Because, frankly, humanity is capable of unimaginable harm.

Lately, I’ve been reading Lincoln’s Greatest Speech by Ronald White, a deep exploration of Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address written when our country saw the full capacity of war and sin with the Civil War. White argues that Lincoln masterfully crafted every single word of his 703-word speech. The most famous line—“With malice toward none; with charity for all”—lies at the heart of his message, which was focused not on retribution but on reconciliation. White details how Lincoln intended these words to guide Reconstruction, though, tragically, that vision was abandoned after his assassination.

In the book, White examines Lincoln’s shift in rhetoric—he no longer blames only the South for slavery but implicates the entire nation.  Lincoln suggests that the suffering of the war is a consequence of America’s collective sin and that justice requires enduring its consequences.  This is where “With malice toward none; with charity for all” emerges as a path forward.

The Church’s mission is reconciliation: to reconcile all people to God in Christ. Our framework is never retribution, but rather charity, compassion, and grace. This posture allows us to be honest about what we have done and left undone.

Read the litany again. The list is exhaustive. And yet, God’s grace and forgiveness encompass it all.  May we have the courage to be honest with God about where we have come up short, and we all know God’s unfailing love and compassion through our self disclosure.

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection: Where are the areas you have come up short? What have you left undone that needs to be named? Where have you sinned in your life? (Consider making an appointment with one of your clergy to receive the gift of Confession and Absolution).