Lent Day 2 – The Very Rev. Prof. Konyin Àjàyí, SAN.

*Lent Day 2:  Confession of Sins*

Lord God, Most Merciful, Most Forgiving and Most Loving, Who desires not the death of any sinner but instead that they may turn from sin and be redeemed –

Before You do, I confess and lament my sins, cast down and humbled in Your presence. I confess that I have sinned before You by pride, avarice, and boundless desire of honours and riches, by idleness, gluttony, greed, debauchery, and drunkenness. I confess that I have offended You by all kinds of sins of the flesh, adulteries, and pollutions, which I have committed myself and consented that others should commit. I confess that I have offended You by sacrilege, theft, forceful taking of what is not mine, violation of the rights of others, and killing of the souls of people.

I confess that I have made a wrong use of my possessions, by my prodigality, by the sins which I have committed against Hope and Charity, by my evil advice, flatteries, bribes, and the ill distribution which I have made of the goods of which I have been possessed.

I confess that I have repulsed and maltreated the people experiencing poverty through the distribution I have made of the goods committed to my charge and by afflicting those over whom I have been set in authority.

I confess my iniquity in not visiting prisoners, not receiving the poor, feeding the hungry, or giving drink to the thirsty.

I confess that I have not been living chastely and piously and have often been tempted to do what is evil in Your sight. I Confess that I am guilty of injuring instead of aiding those who demanded help from me, refusing to give ear unto the cry of people experiencing poverty, not respecting the aged, not keeping my word, disobedience to my parents, and ingratitude towards those from whom I have received kindness, and by indulgence in sensual pleasures.

I confess that I have failed in my Christian walk and duty, acknowledging my failure in the true honour of the day of rest and worship. I have not kept to traditions of the Church, by irreverent behaviour in the Temple of God, by unseemly gestures thereat, by entering therein without reverence, by vain and unprofitable discourse when there, by despising the sacred vessels of the temple, by turning the holy ceremonies into ridicule, by touching and eating the sacred bread with impure lips and with profane hands, and by the neglect of my prayers and adorations.

Father, I confess the sins which I have committed by evil thoughts, vain and impure meditations, false suspicions, and rash judgments; by the evil consent which I have readily given unto the advice of the wicked; by the lust of impure and sensual pleasures; by my idle words, my lies, and my deceit; by my false vows in various ways; and by my continual slander and calumny.

Father, I confess the wrongs I have committed within; the treachery and discord which I have incited; my curiosity, greed, false speaking, violence, malediction, murmurs, blasphemies, vain words, insults, dissimulation; my sins against God by the transgression of the commandment to love, by the neglect of my duties and obligations, and by want of love God and towards my neighbour.

Furthermore, I confess the sins I have committed in all my senses, by sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch, in every way that human weakness can offend the Creator, by my carnal thoughts, deeds, and meditations.

In all these, I humbly confess that I have sinned and recognise myself as being, in the sight of God, the most criminal of all men. I accuse myself before You, O God, and I adore You humbly. O you, Holy Angels, and you, Children of God, in your presence I publish my sins, so that mine enemy may have no advantage over me, and may not be able to reproach me at the last day; that he may not be able to say that I have concealed my sins and that I be not then accused in the presence of the Lord; but, on the contrary, that on my account there may be joy in Heaven, as over the just who have confessed their sins in Your presence.

*_O Most Mighty and All-Powerful Father, through Your unbounded mercy, grant me absolute pardon and forgiveness of all my sins for the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Saviour._*

Amen!

 

 

*Patriarch’s Note.*

 

Here are some appropriate Bible passages that align with the theme of confession of sins, which you can include in your Patriarch’s Note:

1. *Psalm 51:1-2*
   *_“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!”_*
2. *1 John 1:9*
   *_“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”_*
3. *James 5:16*
   *_“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”_*
4. *Proverbs 28:13*
   *_“Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.”_*
5. *Isaiah 1:18*
   *_“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”_*
6. Luke 15:7
   *_“Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”_*
7. Romans 3:23
   *_“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”_*
8. Psalm 32:5
   *_“I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.”_*

These passages can reinforce the spirit of humility and repentance expressed in your prayer, providing a scriptural foundation for your confession of sins.