PRIEST: Possessiveness is utterly foreign to Jesus…when his disciples resent another using His name, using His power to set others free they want Jesus to stop him: but Jesus yearns that all would set free their world in the power of his name! He challenges us this morning to give up our possessiveness, as does St James challenge our materialism and greed: instead the Word of God urges us to seek each other’s freedom and growth…Let us confess the narrowness of our hearts and minds…
READER: When we resent another’s gifts, and resist another’s ministry;
when we fail to encourage each other…
LORD HAVE MERCY …
For our possessiveness depriving others of the necessities for life;
for a rich world refusing to share justly with the impoverished;
for blinding ourselves to injustice…
CHRIST HAVE MERCY …
For disunity in the Body of Christ
that harms our witness to the Gospel;
for neglecting to worship and work
with our fellow Christians of other traditions…
LORD HAVE MERCY …
PRIEST: Be assured that we are forgiven,
forgiven by the tender Father,
forgiven by our brother Jesus,
forgiven by our fellow-pilgrims filled with the Spirit
released from all that hurts us,
that we might set others free from pain
and bring all to everlasting life…
AMEN!