Every day of Lent, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click HERE for the readings.
Soon after obtaining their freedom from Egypt, the Israelites turned away from God and started to worship a golden calf. They forgot that it was God who had saved them from their former slavery. How quick people forget what God has done for them. How easy it is to forget how much God has done for us.
Yet, Moses intervened when God wanted to punish them in his wrath. Moses asked God to spare the people who had sinned and wandered far from him. Who knows what would have happened had not Moses implored the Lord to forgive these “stiff necked” people and give them more time to return to him. It was because of the intercession of Moses that “the Lord relented in the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people.”
Let’s remember those people who have prayed for us when we went astray: parents, spouses, friends, etc. Their prayers helped to secure God’s patience with us, his mercy.
And let us also pray for those who are lost in their sinfulness. We pray for God’s patience with them, too. We pray for God’s mercy upon them just as other friends continue to pray for God’s mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Amen.