The following originally appeared as part of "Grief over Injustice, Hope for Wholeness—Lent 4: Domestic Violence and Misogyny."
Call to Confession
Paul writes, “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26, NRSV). When abuse occurs, it is a community issue. When someone views another as lesser, it is a community issue. When prejudice exists, it is a community issue. It can feel easier for us to hold these issues of justice at arm’s length and say, “Well, that doesn’t happen here.” When it comes to domestic violence, statistics show no difference between church members and secular society.
Though we are the body of Christ, we are not immune to committing injustices. We confess our complicity before God and each other in the promise of Christ’s forgiveness and grace.
Prayer of Confession
Holy and merciful God,
you made us all in your image
and called us your beloved children.
You call us to care for one another,
to submit to one another,
to look out for and love one another.
We confess that we are not always faithful in fulfilling our calling.
We remain silent when we hear offensive or belittling comments.
We make sweeping judgments about people of different genders or sexualities,
and we let our own biases blind us from seeing others as they truly are:
beloved children and image bearers of God.
Forgive us, Lord, and help us to speak up when we witness injustice.
Amen.
Revised Common Lectionary
Year C: Epiphany—Third Sunday after the Epiphany
