Patience seems to one of the most common virtues that is lacking in our world today. Just go driving down the road here in Tupelo and you will see how impatient people can be. The lack is patience is one of the most common sins that is brought to the confessional. God is upset over the impatience of the Israelites. They get so impatient that they abandon their faith in God, worshipping a golden idol that they themselves create. However, I will say that I have a lot of compassion for the Israelites right now. I have been on crutches now only for a matter of days, but my patience is wearing very thin. The Israelites were traveling through the desert with no end in sight. Their leader Moses went up a mountain and they had no idea when he would be coming down. Aren’t they justified in their impatience? Like the Israelites, many people in our modern world turn to gods of their own making as well. God wants to rain down his wrath on the Israelites, but Moses reminds God of the promises he made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob of the future he promised to their descendants. God is portrayed here in this passage from Exodus in very human terms. God finally relents without seeking revenge against the people. Based on what we hear in today's reading from Exodus, let us pray:
Lord, we put before you our tiredness and our fatigue, please grant us new energy.
We put before you our frustrations, please grant us patience.
We put before you our resentments and our pain, please grant us peace of mind and serenity.
We put before you our judgement and our criticism, please grant us greater understanding.
We put before you our anger, please grant us the grace to forgive.
Lord, be with us in our reality, please grant us wisdom and love.
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