A study in contrast.

So I was struck by the contrasts today of Pope John Paul II's funeral and Prince Charles' wedding. In one we have a man who gave up his life for the service of the church and in the other we have a man whose life has been a series of tumultuous events marked by his fairy tale marriage to Diana, their subsequent divorce, her death in Paris and now his nuptials to the woman he was in love with all along, Camilla Parker Bowles (this is an AFP image of Charlie & Camilla). But both have a sense of hope about them -- maybe.I mean the Pope (this is a BBC photo of JP2 in his last days) is in heaven, and many are hoping he will be called John Paul the Great, an appellation that only two other men --Leo and Gregory -- have been given. He has the legacy of his leadership of the catholic Church, and he has entered into his eternal reward. I think its profile a safe bet that he heard "Well done, good and faithful servant" just a few seconds after he left us.

Charlie on the other hand is still here. He is set to marry the woman he was in love with from long ago, but did not marry reportedly because QE2 opposed it. Now Her Majesty will not attend the wedding on Saturday.

Now Camilla and Charlie have to confess their sins as part of the wedding. The soarée is supposed to cost somewhere around three million dollars (two million pounds).

The British press has been its normal merciful self, and there are some who think that this could signal the end of the monarchy in England.

But hey, Charlie has to apologize to Camilla's ex-husband, Camilla will be the Princess of Wales (Diana lovers aside) and William and Harry are still in line for the throne. And there is still hope for Charles. There is forgiveness for our sins, after all, even the ones done in public.