The goat shall bear

    all their iniquities on itself

               to a remote area,

and he shall let the goat

   go free in the wilderness.

              Leviticus 16. 22

(The meaning of the scapegoat

    is not placing our guilt and blame

    on someone else,

but in the atonement for our sin,

repent, ask forgiveness,

       and letting it go.

Not dwelling on it,

      or bringing it back up,

but living as forgiven.

When we are forgiven,

    we know how to forgive.

We know how much we are loved.)

O LORD,

Help us to realize

that when we repent

          of our selfishness

          our wrong-doing,

             and our hurtful ways,

You do not just forgive,

but grant to us

the power to live differently.

Not just to go and sin no more,

    but to live out Your forgiveness

in how we love others

            and worship You.

Empower us,

grant to us Your strength

and pour over us Your mercy

   to bring healing

   to all our relationships.