Every day of Lent, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click HERE for the readings.
Queen Esther was a Jewish woman who was married to a great non-Jewish king. The king, in fact, did not know her ethnicity, but he loved her very much. One of the king’s underlings, Haman, had ordered the slaughter of every Jew in the land, because they would not bow down before him. Queen Esther would need to plead her people’s cause before the king, and she would thereby expose herself as a fellow Jew – and put herself in danger of execution.
So, our first reading begins this way: “Queen Esther, seized with mortal anguish, had recourse to the LORD.” Before her meeting with her king, she prayed to God, “Help me.” She is even more specific, “Put in my mouth persuasive words.”
God hears her prayer. She speaks eloquently before the king. Her people are spared. But, it doesn’t go so well for Haman.
Jesus reminds us that in prayer we must A(sk). S(eek). K(nock).
Let’s not forget that God hears our prayers and answers them. But God doesn’t answer if we don’t ask. And, even if the answer coming from God is “No”, at least we should give God the chance to respond to what we ask of him. No matter what we want, God will only give us what promotes our good and our happiness. He gives us what we need.