July 27.  Mrs Paulson shared, “I don’t really like the whole description of God that we read about in the Old Testament sometimes. It can be pretty scary, but still, it should discourage us from doing evil things.”   Her friend added, “You’re right but look at the reality. We have known about the risk of HIV infection for years.  We know how it happens and that the only real answer is abstinence and faithfulness.  We have to face it that when our son George became ill with AIDS he had already infected his wife and we ended up looking after their orphaned children. I was shocked and sad when on top of that we ended up with a pregnant teenager. I try but forgiveness is really not easy.”  

The Lord proclaimed,  “The Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding mercy and faithfulness, keeping merciful love for thousands, forgiving iniquity but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children.  From Exodus 34:5-9. 

Pope Francis:  In a family, parents, grandparents and children all feel at home; no one is excluded.  If someone has a problem, even a serious one, even if he brought it upon himself, the rest of the family comes to his assistance, they support him.  They may quarrel, but there is something that does not change: the family bond.  FT230 .