Absolution

I find myself steeped in sin
and long to be made clean
so I hike over to the local
church and get in line

there are six before me, and soon
there are eight behind me;
I am a sinner in the midst of sin

the line moves slowly for
sin isn't washed away
with a swipe of the cloth
it takes a bit of scrubbing, and
scrubbing takes time

a rosary and a divine mercy chaplet
and it's my turn in the box
I offer my sins wrapped in
sorrow and contrition
and receive advice and penance in return

and then it comes-
the prayer that has the power
to thrill me every time
I hear it-

"God the Father of mercies,
through the death and resurrection of his Son
has reconciled the world to himself
and sent the Holy Spirit among us
for the forgiveness of sins;
through the ministry of the Church
may God give you pardon and peace,
and I absolve you from your sins
in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit."

and with those beautiful words
that sound remarkably like
God saying "I love you"
I am renewed, refreshed and redeemed
and can walk upright on
the return journey to the rest of my life