iMea Culpa

“So what have you been up to this summer, Joyce?” Clara asked as she served her friend some tea and biscuits.

“Not much really. I just took advantage to finish my leftovers from last summer?”

“Leftovers?” Joyce was puzzled.

“You know, the things you wanted to do last summer but only ended up doing them now.”

“I guess it’s pretty much the same with me: cleaning up summer leftovers,” said Clara, amused with the term.

“If there’s really something quite new and quite useful that I’ve discovered lately, it’s Mea culpa.”

“Mea culpa?”

“It means my faults in Latin,” Joyce explained.

“I know that, but what’s so great about discovering your faults?” Clara asked.

“No, I meant that mea culpa is actually a smartphone program that is supposed to help one do his examination of conscience to prepare for confession.”

“Really?” Clara giggled. “I wonder what they’ll think of next to simply make some extra bucks.”

“Well, whether the company is making money or not, I will say that I’ve never had such a good confession in my entire life.”

“Like how did it help you?” Clara began nibbling on a biscuit.

“I realized, for example, that there’s more than just living the Ten Commandments!”

“Are you saying that the Mea culpa software added more?”

“Girl, what I mean by more is that the program helps one not to live them superficially. One discovers that there are other things related to each commandment that can be better lived.”

“That’s interesting,” Clara said. “For example?”

“Okay. Let’s take the fifth, which is?”

“That’s easy! That’s about not killing?” Clara replied.

“Correct,” Joyce snapped her fingers. “But did you know that under this same precept one has to also examine himself regarding anger and forgiving others.

Naturally, it includes other serious offenses like abortion and euthanasia.”

“That is interesting to hear!”

“That isn’t all!” Joyce added. “It also helped me to broaden my outlook in my spiritual life. I mean, we sometimes reduce our struggles to just the 4th, 6th, 8th and 9th commandments. Some people may just get stuck in the 6th and 9th. This limited view would reduce one’s spiritual life into a bonsai. On the other hand, mea culpa has taught me to also examine how I am living the 1st, 2nd and 3rd precepts.”

“Isn’t the third about going to Sunday Mass?” Clara verified.

“Yes, but it also includes knowing how to rest, and explains how to live the Lord’s Day in a more fruitful manner.”

“Hey, you’re discovery hasn’t been so boring after all, perhaps, I should get myself that mea culpa thingy as well.”

“I’d be glad to tell you where to get it,” Joyce said.

“Oh, I was just wondering,” Clara asked. “Does mea culpa give you a sort of rating afterwards?” she joked.

“Of course not,” Joyce laughed. “But it’s funny you should ask ‘coz the priest also asked me something similar after I confessed. He reminded me that although a program or gadget can help me examine my conscience, it cannot supply me with the essential ingredients of sorrow and purpose of amendment.”

“Essential?”

“It means that without them one’s confession is empty or invalid.”

“But didn’t you just say your sins?”

“Yes, but one’s intention of sincerely trying not offending God and neighbor again is important.”

“How so?”

“It’s like your son George saying sorry for messing up the house, but has no real intention of changing his stubbornness or disobedience.”

“That’s called conversion, right?”

“Yes, and the priest gave an interesting insight: Try not to read your sins from a list, but from your heart. That way you’re really sorry for them.”

“I think I’ll keep that in my list of summer leftovers,” Clara concluded.

“Make sure you don’t leave it for next summer though,” Joyce teased her.

“With mea culpa at hand, a good confession is not something I intend to leave for next summer.”