Merciful
God, we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart. We have failed to be an
obedient church. We have not done your will, we have broken your law, we have rebelled
against your love, we have not loved our neighbors, and we have not heard the cry of the
needy. Forgive us, we pray. Free us for joyful obedience, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
SCRIPTURE:
Luke 19:29-40
When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany,
at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, saying, ‘Go
into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that
has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, “Why are you
untying it?” just say this: “The Lord needs it.” ’ So those who were
sent departed and found it as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners
asked them, ‘Why are you untying the colt?’ They said, ‘The Lord needs
it.’ Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they
set Jesus on it. As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. As he
was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the
disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that
they had seen, saying, ‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace
in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!’ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said
to him, ‘Teacher, order your disciples to stop.’ He answered, ‘I tell you,
if these were silent, the stones would shout out.’
