Ask and Receive Thursday

“Queen Esther, seized with mortal anguish, had recourse to the Lord.   She lay prostrate upon the ground, together with her handmaids, from morning until evening, and said: God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, blessed are you.  Help me, who am alone and have no help but you, for I am taking my life in my hand.  As a child I used to hear from the books of my forefathers that you, O Lord, always free those who are pleasing to you.  Now help me, who am alone and have no one but you, O Lord, my God.

“And now, come to help me, an orphan.  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 from the hand of our enemies, turn our mourning into gladness and our sorrows into wholeness.”   (Esther C: 12, 14-16, 23-25)

The above scripture  is the first reading today, Thursday – First Week in Lent.  I made this note in my Missal about today’s scripture readings for the Mass:  “Ask and Receive Thursday.”  The first reading, the responsorial psalms, the gospel and the antiphons all have one unifying theme:  PRAYER.  For me, this is a rare occurrence.  Before looking at other scriptures in today’s liturgy, I want to point out a couple of things from the powerful passage from Esther.

First, note what Esther did when seized by the mortal anguish.  She knew where to seek help.  She had recourse to God in prayer.  Next note her posture.  She lay prostrate on the ground.  Was she alone?  She understood the concept of prayer partnership.  Her handmaids were prostrate in prayer with her.  This is a big crisis.   How long did they pray?  From morning to evening.  How did Esther pray?  After invoking the name of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (similar today to invoking the name of Jesus), she blessed God.  In Philippians 4: 6-7, we are advised to bring our request to God in prayer and petition with thanksgiving.   Esther tells God twice that she is alone and has nobody to help her except God.  She recalls from Scripture that God always helps those who are pleasing to Him.   She pleads to God to help her and reminds God that she is an orphan.  God after all is the Father of the fatherless and orphans.    Then finally, she was specific about what she wants:  “persuasive words” when she meets the king;  “turn his heart to hatred for our enemy, so that he and those who are in league with him may perish.”

I find this a great prayer and a model of prayer in crisis.

The Response verse is very appropriate:  “Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.”  God answered the prayer of Esther and delivered her people in a powerful way.    The rest of the Responsorial Psalm 138 continues with the theme of gratitude for answered prayer.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches the infallibility of prayer.

“Jesus said to his disciples:
"Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which one of you would hand his son a stone
when he asked for a loaf of bread,
or a snake when he asked for a fish?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give good things
to those who ask him.

"Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the law and the prophets.”  (Matthew 7: 7-12)

The Gospel of today is a master-piece in its teaching on prayer.  Prayer as noted above is declared an infallible resource by the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  The Church confirms from experience what the Lord teaches here.