Prayer 122

 O Merciful heart of God, in true penitence and contrition, I would now open heart to Thee. Let me keep nothing hidden from Thee, while I pray. Humbling as the truth about myself may be, let me yet take courage to speak it in Thy presence. What I did not think shame to commit, that let me not think shame to confess. And in Thy wisdom use this pain of confession as a means to make me hate the sins confessed. 

I confess to the sin of laziness in this unhelping and this ignoring my household needs. 

I confess to the sin of vanity in this higher impression about myself and arrogance towards others. 

I confess to this abnormal eating and this not keeping food boundaries indulgence of the flesh

I confess to the habit of falsehood in this interaction with friends and sometimes family.

I confess to this opportunities where I am guilty of dishonesty

I confess this bad words and this not helping uncharitable words that I use with people

I confess to having harboured this unhealthy and this very evil thoughts about different people 

I confess that because of the priorities in my life I am worried and sorry about the wrong direction my life has been taking. 

I confess to this lack of Bible reading lapse from faithful religious practice. 

O Thou whose love can be in the heart of man as a fire to burn up all that is shameful and evil, let me now lay hold upon Thy perfect righteousness and make it mine own. Blot out all my transgressions and let my sins be covered. Make me to feel Thine hand upon my life, cleansing me from the stain of past misdeeds loosing me from the grip of evil habits, strengthening me in new habits of pure-heartedness, and guiding my footsteps in the way of eternal life. Lead me in battle, O God, against my secret sins. Fence round my life with a rampart of pure aspiration. And let Christ be formed in my heart through faith. All this I ask for His holy name's sake. Amen.