PRAYER PAUSE: Wow, Lord! You have little patience with the sin, pettiness and darkness of our lives! You know our capacity to choose and create evil. You invite and empower us to live from the strength of Your Word and Life within us. Yet, we can refuse and choose death. Jesus lifts Your expectations. We not only cannot murder each other, we cannot even destroy or diminish them with judgment, word or silence. You really do want us to be good and holy as you are! It is easier to simply go to the altar, believing in Your mercy. It is a real challenge to seek and create mercy and forgiveness with those I’ve hurt or who have hurt me. You are a most challenging God! Amen.