And yet, every year, in public and in plural prayers, we admit to more than we have actually done. For the public prayer is a shield. Jewish tradition does not demand that we call out a sin, and have only those who committed it rise and apologize. And if we didn't know before all that we had done wrong, if we overlooked or rationalized or subconsciously swept aside some of our sins, then this public tefillah serves as an additional reminder, one more chance for the words of the page to stare at us like an inner mirror, and prod us towards teshuvah. Last year's confession came easily to the lips.
Real change requires a third step.
It requires us to act on all that firm intention to be better people. We are called to tzedakah, to righteousness. A man went to his physician to complain about his heart. The physician told him to stretch out his hand so that she might feel his pulse. The soundness of the Jewish heart can by judged by the hand.