-- Mea Maxima Culpa --
by John Herlihy
Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa,
Wrong-doing, guilt, the forgiveness of sin.
What have we done, wrapped in a shroud,
No sense of humility when we act proud.
Why many things wrong that feel so right,
Day often feels as the middle of the night.
As humans, we to the wrong thing prone,
The layers of our lives peeled to the bone.
We say mea culpa, then do bad things again,
Time after time never knowing to say when.
In the nave of a church, the heart of silence,
Beating the heart-blood of one true reliance.
Remorse, repentance, the forgiveness of sins,
I utter mea culpa as the earth of its axis spins.
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Copyright ©John Herlihy
Sunday 16 June 2024
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So, we do things we are not proud of. Most religions have an outlet for that, so called, sin. The Roman Catholic tradition, for example, let's you confess your sin to an authority and therefore be forgiven with a slight punishment meted out by the priest. But we have found recently that even priests can be involved in some of the most egregious of sins.
Ron
Yes, we are truly living in an era of history where apologies and amends are quickly forgotten or not exercised at all. The word "sin" once synonymous with religious beliefs has become a piece of lexiconic mockery, invading all walks of life. Well-timed piece of poetry. Kudos.