If You Don't Forgive Them, Blot My Name Our of Your Book?

It is my desire to be like Christ, to see Him, to not sin. Nevertheless, the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and the second is to love our neighbor as ourselves. Is it in me to love my neighbor as much as Moses? Moses had led Israel out of Egypt, to Mt. Sinai. He goes up the mountain to speak with God. While He is on the mountain, the Israelites get Aaron to mold a calf for them. God is angry, tells Moses to leave Him, that His wrath may run hot against them, that He may consume them. Moses go down, and then returns to God, confessing that Israel had committed a great sin, and then says, “Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin––and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written” (Exo 32:32 RV). Now, Moses begs this of God even after Israel had murmured against him. St. Paul confesses a similar thing: “For I could wish that I myself were anathema from Christ for my brethren’s sake, my kinsmen according to the flesh” (Rom 9:3 RV). It causes me to think of my family. Yes, I can pray that for them. God has given them to me that I might be their head. I am responsible for them, to lead and teach them.

I sit in our parish, watching people enter, kneel, and pray prior to Mass. My heart goes out to each and everyone. We are members of the same Body. “Oh, Lord, if You don’t take them, You can’t take me; we are of the same Body.” When our priests are celebrating the Mass, the bread he is offering is us also. Christ is the large host; we are the small hosts. Our priests are our shepherds; they desire that not one of us be lost. Can you not hear them pray in a similar fashion like Moses and St. Paul? Our Blessed Mother, who stands beneath our small crosses and intercedes for us, it would not surprise me if she prayed, before she was assumed into heaven, “If You don’t forgive the least of these my children, don’t take me.” Our Lord Himself, is that not the reason of His Incarnation, Passion, and death on the cross? And did He not rise for our justification? Only we must not be as the five foolish virgins. Let us watch, not only for ourselves but our brothers and sisters also.  --TT