And pray sweet mercy for us all

Adulthood brings the weight of sin
We know more than we say
We judge ourselves to kingdom come
The actual kicks in
The weight too great to bear


There was once a culture of penitence
Self-condemnation rife as Puritans
But that was then
Now we judge ourselves
As stern as they
But forget to forgive


I think Jesus spoke of children as he did
 Knowing how hope atrophies
With years and years of deeds that shame us all
Our wars our hurts
Our slights our condemnations
Our violence of thought and act
Percolating long after 


This weight of sin is real 
So too the daily gift
Forgiveness 
If we see


There is light within us
We can pray mercy for us all
We can extend the same to all
And in a trice be reconciled