Exhortation, Sixth Sunday after Epiphany

Each week, we kneel to confess our own sins and then go on to pray for the universal church, the nations, and the world. It’s obvious why we confess our sins. We are seeking forgiveness and cleansing.

We are praying for one another as we pray together. The prayer for forgiveness we’re currently using is a “we” prayers. As John says, “If anyone sees a brother sinning a sin not to death, he shall ask and he will give life to those who sin a sin not to death.” We don’t just pray in unison; we pray for one another.

But why do we pray for the world?

According to John, our prayers are effective in giving life. Through our prayers, God gives life to erring brothers. Like Jesus the Righteous, in union with Him, we are advocates with the Father.

And because Jesus is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world, He is the Advocate for the Father for the whole world. By the same token, we are advocates in and through Him.

We don’t gather to escape from the world, and we don’t gather only because it’s good for us. We assemble as representatives of a world that doesn’t know or doesn’t care about God. We come together in official capacity, as the priesthood of the nations, to pray for blessing for the world.

Righteous Job offered sacrifices for his sons, thinking “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” We kneel in prayer with the same spirit, in hope that through our prayers, God will forgive and give life to the world.