Cayman Net News: Forgive me Lord – A Pastor’s confession

Forgive me Lord - A Pastor’s confession

Poem by Fr. Sean Major-Campbell

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

I continue to see myself as the most perfect human being you ever made
Even though this is a game only by fools played
I condemn your creation in my quest to show how holy I am
While holding tightly to the stone, ready to cast at that man.
Forgive me Lord.

My life is pretty because of my suit;
But you know that I am such a brute.
The bible I always quote
Just so I become qualified to smote
Forgive me Lord.
I seek to address the problems in other people’s lives
While I yearn only for their wives
I preach forgiveness for all
Yet my mind can be so small
Forgive me Lord.

Your kingdom I have defined in my own little box
When I have been nothing but a fox
Your people I have damned to hell
When Christ’s love has been so swell
Forgive me Lord.
I have abused my freedom and authority as pastor
When you have blessed me with pasture
I insult the humanity you have created
When in preaching they are berated
Forgive me Lord

I treat your church like a shop
Your people I am often ready to chop
My mind is so sick
No wonder I like to over your people hold a stick
Forgive me Lord.

I preach about love
But my life lacks your Holy Dove
Forgiveness I encourage
But not when I am discouraged
Forgive me Lord.
And a parishioner overheard my prayer and said:

You think we are fool
We are just playing cool
You think you are righteous
We know who to trust
Whip him Lord.

You always preach
You seldom reach
You pay lip service
Oh what disservice
Whip him Lord.

And in my thoughts all I could remember were some words I heard years ago: “you can fool some of the people some of the time. But you cannot fool all the people all the time.”

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