Dismissed!

It's been a great week for yours truly.

Friday morning I heard that word (Dismissed!) in traffic court, a word coming from the lips of the judge presiding over whether or not I had failed to yield the right of way back in mid-November to an oncoming vehicle as I made a left turn in front of it.  

I won't bore you with the details or how I felt sorry for the cop who was having a seriously bad day in court.  All I know is I walked out of that courtroom feeling much lighter than I did when walking in.  I was shown mercy albeit for a wrong I had not committed.  

Forgiveness received for the deserving.  Wrongs dismissed by a wise judge.

But that dismissal pales in comparison to the one I received Tuesday night.

That night was the occasion of our annual Advent Reconciliation service.  That night I did not stand wrongfully

accused.  That night, prior to my arrival even, I was guilty on a variety of counts.  But that night at the conclusion of that service and in a private 'court' session attended only by me and a priest, I heard, from the lips of said priest acting in persona Christi, the following words: "May Almighty God have mercy on you, and forgiving your sins, bring you to life everlasting. Amen." Then, lifting his right hand towards me, he continued: "May the Almighty and Merciful God grant you pardon, absolution, and remission of your sins."

Forgiveness received for the undeserving. Wrongs dismissed by the wisest, and most merciful, of judges.

A great week indeed.