All three of today’s readings recommend prayer and I show below just one of them, although you can certainly look up the other two, noted at the bottom of this post.
The reading from Esther is particularly evocative for me because it leads not to a divine miracle but rather to her own wisdom and courage to carry out God’s will.
First, a very brief reminder of the story of Esther: King Ahasuerus (if you pronounce the “su” as “shv” then this is phonetic) deposed his first wife and married Esther, a Jewish orphan who had been raised by her cousin Mordecai. Now King Ahasuarus, a Persian, reigned over an enormous area spanning from India to Ethiopia, so he was extremely powerful. One of his most prominent princes was a man named Haman and Haman hated Esther’s cousin Mordecai because he refused to bow down to Haman on the grounds that he would bow down to God only. In revenge Haman plotted to kill all the Jews by asking the King to issue a decree to that effect. Mordecai and Esther made a plan that Esther, as the Queen, would ask the King not to do this. Esther was terrified to go before the King because the rules of the court were that the Queen could only go before the King if invited; so she was justifiably worried, for she might face deposition or even death if the King was provoked.
Today’s scripture passage takes place during the three days before Esther dares to approach King Ahasuerus, when Esther prays to God for courage. One can imagine her distress as she places herself in the presence of God hoping to glean the mettle she needs to take on a task with so much at stake: her life and the lives of so many others. Esther prevails and it is Haman who dies on the appointed day of execution.
What benefits might we gain from placing ourselves in God’s presence? Courage, Loving-kindness, Calm, Discernment?
Namaste! Amen!
The Readings
Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25
Queen Esther, seized with mortal anguish, likewise had recourse to the Lord. Then she prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, saying: “My Lord, our King, you alone are God. Help me, who am alone and have no help but you, for I am taking my life in my hand. As a child I was wont to hear from the people of the land of my forefathers that you, O Lord, chose Israel from among all peoples, and our fathers from among all their ancestors, as a lasting heritage, and that you fulfilled all your promises to them. Be mindful of us, O Lord. Manifest yourself in the time of our distress and give me courage, King of gods and Ruler of every power. Put in my mouth persuasive words in the presence of the lion, and turn his heart to hatred for our enemy, so that he and those who are in league with him may perish. Save us by your power, and help me, who am alone and have no one but you, O Lord. You know all things.”
Psalm 138:1-3,7c-8
Matthew 7:7-12
The reading is from the website below.
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