A Poem a Sunday

Lent IV

March 31, 2019

Peccavi

On this Sunday of the Lost Son - I think of the Elder Son as the one being lost and  - Latin – a Latin word comes to mind.  Peccavi – first person singular perfect tense of pecarre, meaning to confess – or to say, “I have sinned!”  Peccavi – Latin:  meaning, “I have sinned!”  Jaroslav Vajda, Lutheran pastor, poet, and editor for the magazine “This Day” writes:

Peccavi

Beware of the man, who can do no wrong,

Who never says, “I’m sorry, peccavi, I have sinned!”

He will want to be your god.

But only God can do no wrong

and only God’s Son is perfect.

Pity the man whose wife if perfect,

or whose government, or boss, or church, or fellow worker

who never says, “Peccavi, I have sinned.”

He is ruled by a loveless tyrant

and he, who is forgiven little, loves little.

Pity the person, who confesses to no sin,

for he will never change for the better.

The prodigal son changed when he confessed:

“Peccavi, I have sinned.”

Before that time, he lived, if you can call it that,

on husks and swill.

Beware of the man

who can do no wrong,

who never says,

“I’m sorry, pecavvi, I have sinned.”

And do not envy his self-assurance,

his bravado or his high head,

or sure walk or defiant stance.

You are seeing the moment before disaster.

You are standing in the presence of death

before the veil is removed.

Pity the fool.

And what about yourself,

Say “Peccavi” before it is too late.

Before the chance to love

and change and live is gone.

Stop playing the game.

God knows what you are really like.

And your fellowman suspects

you are just as sinful as he.

Open the way…

to love and change and a renewed life.

Say, “Peccavi, I have sinned.”