O Lord,
This day is weighty.
A priest enters trembling into the Most Holy Place,
blood in his hands, incense rising,
to cover the sins of the people.
One goat dies, blood spilled for forgiveness.
Another goat carries guilt far away into the wilderness,
never to return.
And I feel the ache of it all
my sins are many,
my guilt is heavy,
my shame clings like chains.
I confess, Father, that I try to carry my sins myself.
I hold on to guilt as though punishment could make me clean.
I replay failures as if shame could make me holy.
But nothing I carry can take away my uncleanness.
I need a priest.
I need a sacrifice.
I need a scapegoat to take it all away.
And here is Christ.
The greater High Priest,
who enters not with the blood of animals,
but with His own blood, once for all.
The Lamb slain for my forgiveness.
The Scapegoat who bears my sins,
carrying them as far as the east is from the west.
On Him my guilt was laid,
and in Him my cleansing is complete.
So here I am, Lord.
Take my guilt, send it far away.
Take my shame, bury it in the wilderness.
Cover me in the blood of the Lamb,
clothe me in the righteousness of Christ.
Let me live as one forgiven,
as one restored,
as one forever clean.
Amen.