Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa

Daniel 9:4b-10 ~~~ Psalm 79 ~~~ Luke 6: 36-38

Mea Culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa...

through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault...

At the beginning of every Mass we, in unison with the community, admit our guilt. We and we alone are responsible for our actions good or bad, positive or negative. Even though we recite these words of guilt together we present ourselves indiviually before God's holy altar.

Here I am Lord admitting I have mud on my face. Admitting I have been caught with my hand in the candy jar. We are tattling on ourselves, only because we profess to also believe in the mercy of God.

It's as if we are saying, 'Ahhh, God, I know I have not been the best person so many times, but remember you promised...' And now comes the pleading like a little child...'you promised forgiveness and you also promised mercy.' We look up at God with sad puppy dog eyes trusting in his attentive forgiveness. At the same time we are secretly hoping that we will not be required to actually name our sins. After all God is all knowing therefore he already knows.

Have you ever thought of your sins from the generic perspective? I think I probably have at least once or twice. We even try to rationalze them away.We did this or acted that way because...well you know, it just happened. 

We rarely feel as if we are in the courtroom swearing on the Bible 'to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth'. We are masters at deception...deceiving even  ourselves. We would much rather look out at others than inside our own heart.

We diligently join the psalmist in praying, 'Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.' The flip side of this plea ties us back to the 'Golden Rule'. Jesus tells us, 'Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.'

If we treat others with the mercy of God then we too will find favor with God, who is the giver of gifts. Grace will be given to us overflowing; poured into our laps.

"For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you."
Be generous in all things, but especially forgiveness and mercy. This is the only way we can ever hope to be perfect as our heavenly Father. Forgiveness is the only way to maintain wholeness within your heart and soul.

When you recite the penitential rite at the opening of every Mass, don't just mouth the words, but rather speak them in the spirit of true mercy.

Mercy gives the benefit of the doubt to the other person.

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa,

ushers in the grace for God to 'manifest the motives of our hearts.' (1 Cor.4:5)