Paternoster rosary, 1.4. Psalm 86.15

you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
As I contemplate these words in praying the paternoster rosary, I find there is a real banquet of things to reflect on. Too much really for one session. Each word or phrase is capable of long meditation. So I generally just wait with the phrase in heart and mind for a little while until one part or another catches my inward eye or connects with something within me. I then often just hold the name/word in mind while I say "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name".

Sometimes the word is 'gracious', perhaps making common cause with a reflection from one of the earlier passages. Sometimes it is 'steadfast love' reminding me with wonder how God not only loves us (and me included) but that love is constant and committed (the Hebrew word 'khesed' has connotations of covenant loyalty) not shifting or fickle -reinforced by 'faithfulness'.
"Slow to anger", links up with Paul's characterising of love in 1 Cor.13.4-7; 'not easily angered'. God isn't looking for an excuse to zap us for infractions; God wants us to do well and good; God wants us to be the best we can. Anger is a response of love to the marring of what is beloved: see the reaction of a mother to a dearly loved child who narrowly avoids a road traffic incident. She is angry and relieved at the same time. Where's the anger from? -Loving the child and nearly losing her.
These names of God echo what Moses heard when the LORD proclaimed God's name in Exodus 34.6.
The Lord passed before him, and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
Hallowed be his name.
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