Prayers of Confession for Lent

How did it come to this?

Recently, I was summoned for jury duty in criminal court. As I looked at the defendants, all men in these cases, I couldn't help but wonder what influences or lack thereof had resulted in their being in that courtroom. Today's prayer of confession concerns the sin of self-indulgence. We like to take care of ourselves first, to be comfortable, to say what we feel, even at the expense of others. When this becomes a pattern, we feel entitled. With entitlement comes the expectation that we are the only important ones in the world. Others are expendable, and if carried too far, we end up in court. If we don't face a court here on earth, we certainly will face God's court in the future. Let's keep our perspectives clear.