Penitential Rite

From the Book of Divine Worship - The Daily Office - Daily Morning Prayer - Rite One

The following Penitential Rite may then be said; or the Office may continue at once with "O Lord, open thou our lips" (See The Invitatory and Psalter)

Penitential Rite

The Officiant says to the people:

Dearly beloved, we have come together in the presence of Almighty God our heavenly Father, to render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at his hands, to set forth his most worthy praise, to hear his holy Word, and to ask, for ourselves and on behalf of others, those things that are necessary for our life and our salvation. And so that we may prepare ourselves in heart and mind to worship him, let us kneel in silence, and with penitent and obedient hearts confess our sins, that we may obtain forgiveness by his infinite goodness and mercy.

Or this:

Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.

Silence may be kept.

Officiant and People together, all kneeling:

Almighty and most merciful Father,
we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep,
we have followed too much the devices and desires
of our own hearts,

we have offended against thy holy laws,
we have left undone those things which we ought to have done,
and we have done those things which we ought not
to have done.

But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
spare thou those who confess their faults,
restore thou those who are penitent,
according to thy promises declared unto mankind
in Christ Jesus our Lord;

and grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake,
that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous,
and sober life, to the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.

The Officiant says:

May the Almighty and merciful Lord grant us absolution and remission of all our sins, true repentance, amendment of life, and the grace and consolation of his Holy Spirit. Amen.