Confession
As children, we learn the “magic words” please and thank you. They do indeed smooth the way for us throughout our lives. What do you suppose would happen if children also learned to say I’m sorry regularly? Perhaps as adults they would be more inclined to mend the fences that they inevitably break. Formal church liturgy has translated these basic building blocks of civility into Confession, Intercession and Thanksgiving. But at their heart they are still the magic words: I’m sorry, please, and thank you.