Thursday of the First Week in Lent
Lectionary: 227
Lectionary: 227
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.
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.”
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.”
Responsorial
Psalm138:1-2AB, 2CDE-3, 7C-8
R. (3a) Lord, on the day I
called for help, you answered me.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
and give thanks to your name.
R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Because of your kindness and your truth;
for you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of your hands.
R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
and give thanks to your name.
R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Because of your kindness and your truth;
for you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of your hands.
R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Verse Before
The GospelPS 51:12A, 14A
A clean heart create for me, O
God;
give me back the joy of your salvation.
give me back the joy of your salvation.
GospelMT 7:7-12
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.
“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.”
This is the law and the prophets.”
Meditation: Ask and you
will receive from your Father in heaven
Do
you expect God to hear your prayers? Esther's prayer on behalf of her people is
a model for us (Esther 14). She prayed for help according to God's promise to be
faithful to his people. God wants us to remember his promises and to count on
his help when we pray.
Your
Father in heaven gives good things to those who ask with expectant faith
Jesus wanted to raise the expectations of his disciples when he taught them how to pray. Jesus' parable of the father feeding his son illustrates the unthinkable! How could a loving father refuse to give his son what is good; or worse, to give him what is harmful? In conclusion Jesus makes a startling claim: How much more will the heavenly Father give what is good to those who ask!
Jesus wanted to raise the expectations of his disciples when he taught them how to pray. Jesus' parable of the father feeding his son illustrates the unthinkable! How could a loving father refuse to give his son what is good; or worse, to give him what is harmful? In conclusion Jesus makes a startling claim: How much more will the heavenly Father give what is good to those who ask!
Our
heavenly Father graciously gives beyond our expectations. Jesus taught his
disciples to pray with confidence because the heavenly Father in his goodness
always answers prayers. That is why we can boldly pray: Give us this
day our daily bread.
The
power of prayer to those who believe
Those who know God and trust in God's love, pray with great boldness. Listen to what John Chrysostom (347-407 AD), a gifted preacher and bishop of Constantinople, had to say about the power of prayer:
Those who know God and trust in God's love, pray with great boldness. Listen to what John Chrysostom (347-407 AD), a gifted preacher and bishop of Constantinople, had to say about the power of prayer:
"Prayer
is an all-efficient panoply [i.e. 'a full suit of armor' or 'splendid array'],
a treasure undiminished, a mine never exhausted, a sky unobstructed by clouds,
a haven unruffled by storm. It is the root, the fountain, and the mother of a
thousand blessings. It exceeds a monarch's power... I speak not of the prayer
which is cold and feeble and devoid of zeal. I speak of that which proceeds
from a mind outstretched, the child of a contrite spirit, the offspring of a
soul converted - this is the prayer which mounts to heaven... The power of
prayer has subdued the strength of fire, bridled the rage of lions, silenced
anarchy, extinguished wars, appeased the elements, expelled demons, burst the
chains of death, enlarged the gates of heaven, relieved diseases, averted
frauds, rescued cities from destruction, stayed the sun in its course, and
arrested the progress of the thunderbolt. In sum prayer has power to destroy
whatever is at enmity with the good."
Allow
God's love to purify your mind, heart, and speech
Prayer flows from the love of God; and the personal love we show to our neighbor is fueled by the love that God has poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). Jesus concludes his discourse on prayer with the reminder that we must treat our neighbor in the same way we wish to be treated by God. We must not just avoid doing harm to our neighbor, we must actively seek his or her welfare. In doing so, we fulfill the scriptural teaching from the "law and the prophets," namely what God requires of us - loving God with all that we have and are and loving our neighbor as ourselves. The Holy Spirit is ever ready to change our hearts and transform our lives in Jesus' way of love and merciful kindness towards all. Do you thirst for holiness and for the fire of God's purifying love?
Prayer flows from the love of God; and the personal love we show to our neighbor is fueled by the love that God has poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). Jesus concludes his discourse on prayer with the reminder that we must treat our neighbor in the same way we wish to be treated by God. We must not just avoid doing harm to our neighbor, we must actively seek his or her welfare. In doing so, we fulfill the scriptural teaching from the "law and the prophets," namely what God requires of us - loving God with all that we have and are and loving our neighbor as ourselves. The Holy Spirit is ever ready to change our hearts and transform our lives in Jesus' way of love and merciful kindness towards all. Do you thirst for holiness and for the fire of God's purifying love?
"Let
me love you, my Lord and my God, and see myself as I really am - a pilgrim in
this world, a Christian called to respect and love all whose lives I touch,
those in authority over me or those under my authority, my friends and my
enemies. Help me to conquer anger with gentleness, greed by generosity, apathy
by fervor. Help me to forget myself and reach out towards
others." (Prayer attributed to Clement XI of Rome, 1721)
A
Daily Quote for Lent: The
gift of being good, by Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"He
who has given us the gift of being gives us also the gift of being good. He
gives to those who have turned back to Him. He even sought them out before they
were converted and when they were far from his ways!" (Commentary
on Psalm 103, 2)
THURSDAY, MARCH 5, MATTHEW 7:7-12
Lenten Weekday
(Esther C:* 12, 14-16, 23-25; Psalm 138)
Lenten Weekday
(Esther C:* 12, 14-16, 23-25; Psalm 138)
KEY VERSE: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you" (v. 7).
TO KNOW: In Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, he taught his disciples to pray with simplicity (Mt 6:5-13), but he also taught them to persevere in prayer. ASK is an acronym for those who persisted in Asking, Seeking, and Knocking on the door of the Father's loving heart would be heard and answered. Jesus asked his disciples if they would give something harmful to their children. Of course they would not. If human parents, with all their failings, gave good gifts to their children, how much more would their Heavenly Father give what was best for them? Jesus cautioned his disciples that they must do more than avoid evil. They must do the good things for others that they would want for themselves. From the 18th Century, this maxim: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" has been called the "Golden Rule."
TO LOVE: Is there a kindness that I can do for someone today?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to measure up to the Golden Rule this Lent.
NOTE: The Book of Esther contains verses in Greek (A-F), which were not in the original Hebrew text. These were excluded from the Jewish (and Protestant) Canon, but are accepted as inspired by the Catholic Church. The Book of Esther was not found among the Dead Sea scrolls, is never quoted in the New Testament, nor is the Feast of Purim mentioned.
Thursday 5 March 2020
Esther 4:17. Lord, on the day I called for help, you
answered me – Psalm 137(138): 1-3, 7-8. Matthew 7:7-12.
Ask, and it will given to you; search, and you will find
I wish I could relax into this reading like Jesus is inviting me
to. Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will
be opened. The door is gradually opening to me and it is the door of
discovering what it is we should ask for, what it is we are really looking for
and knowing when we have found it. It’s peace despite the suffering, strength
when emotional exhaustion weakens, and faith when we need to know this too
shall pass. The best answer to all the prayers though, is Jesus Himself; alive,
powerful and present.
Saint John Joseph of the Cross
Saint of the Day for March 5
(August 15, 1654 – March 5, 1734)
 |
| Saint John Joseph of the Cross | Engraving by Alessandri after P.A. Novelli |
Saint John Joseph of the Cross’ Story
Self-denial is never an end in itself but is only a help toward
greater charity—as the life of Saint John Joseph shows.
John Joseph was very ascetic even as a young man. At 16, he
joined the Franciscans in Naples; he was the first Italian to follow the reform
movement of Saint Peter Alcantara. John Joseph’s reputation for holiness
prompted his superiors to put him in charge of establishing a new friary even
before he was ordained.
Obedience moved John Joseph to accept appointments as novice
master, guardian and, finally, provincial. His years of mortification enabled
him to offer these services to the friars with great charity. As guardian he
was not above working in the kitchen or carrying the wood and water needed by
the friars.
When his term as provincial expired, John Joseph dedicated
himself to hearing confessions and practicing mortification, two concerns
contrary to the spirit of the dawning Age of Enlightenment. John Joseph of the
Cross was canonized in 1839.
Reflection
John Joseph’s mortification allowed him to be the kind of
forgiving superior intended by Saint Francis. Self-denial should lead us
to charity—not to bitterness; it should help us clarify our priorities and make
us more loving. John Joseph is living proof of Chesterton’s observation: “It is
always easy to let the age have its head; the difficult thing is to keep one’s
own” (G. K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy, page 101).
Lectio Divina: Matthew 7:7-12
Lectio Divina
Thursday, March 5, 2020
Season of Lent
1) Opening prayer
Lord, our God,
You are a generous Father,
who give us what is good for us
simply because You love us.
Give us grateful hearts, Lord,
that we may learn from You
to give and share without counting the cost
but simply with love and joy,
as Jesus, Your Son, did among us,
who lives with You and the Holy Spirit forever.
You are a generous Father,
who give us what is good for us
simply because You love us.
Give us grateful hearts, Lord,
that we may learn from You
to give and share without counting the cost
but simply with love and joy,
as Jesus, Your Son, did among us,
who lives with You and the Holy Spirit forever.
2) Gospel reading - Matthew 7:7-12
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."
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today gives a part of the Sermon on the Mount, the
new law of God which has been revealed to us by Jesus. The Sermon on the Mount
has the following structure:
a) Mathew 5:1-16: The entrance door: the Beatitudes (Mt 5:1-10)
and the mission of the disciples: to be the salt of the earth and the light of
the world (Mt 5:12-16).
b) Mathew 5:17-18: The new relationship with God: The new justice (Mt 5:17-48) which does not expect a reward for practicing almsgiving, for praying and fasting (Mt 6:1-18).
c) Mathew 6:19-34: The new relationship with the goods of the earth (Mt 6:19-21), do not look at the world with a jaundiced eye (Mt 6:22-23), do not serve God and money (Mt 6:24), do not be concerned about food and drink (Mt 6:23-34).
d) Mathew 7:1-23: The new relationship with other people: do not look for the splinter in your brother’s eye (Mt 7:1-5); do not throw your pearls in front of pigs (Mt 7:6); the Gospel today: do not be afraid to ask things from God (Mt 7:7-11); and the Golden Rule (Mt 7:12); choose the hard and narrow roads (Mt 7:13-14), beware of false prophets (Mt 7:15-20).
e) Mathew 7:21-29: Conclusion: do not only speak but also practice (Mt 7:21-23); the community built on this basis will resist the storm (Mt 7:24-27). The result of these words is a new conscience before the scribes and the doctors (Mt 7:28-29).
b) Mathew 5:17-18: The new relationship with God: The new justice (Mt 5:17-48) which does not expect a reward for practicing almsgiving, for praying and fasting (Mt 6:1-18).
c) Mathew 6:19-34: The new relationship with the goods of the earth (Mt 6:19-21), do not look at the world with a jaundiced eye (Mt 6:22-23), do not serve God and money (Mt 6:24), do not be concerned about food and drink (Mt 6:23-34).
d) Mathew 7:1-23: The new relationship with other people: do not look for the splinter in your brother’s eye (Mt 7:1-5); do not throw your pearls in front of pigs (Mt 7:6); the Gospel today: do not be afraid to ask things from God (Mt 7:7-11); and the Golden Rule (Mt 7:12); choose the hard and narrow roads (Mt 7:13-14), beware of false prophets (Mt 7:15-20).
e) Mathew 7:21-29: Conclusion: do not only speak but also practice (Mt 7:21-23); the community built on this basis will resist the storm (Mt 7:24-27). The result of these words is a new conscience before the scribes and the doctors (Mt 7:28-29).
• Mathew 7:7-8: Jesus’ three recommendations: to ask, to seek
and to knock: “Ask and you shall receive; seek and you shall find; knock and it
shall be opened to you!” A person is asked. The response depends both on the
person as well as on the insistence with which it is asked (cf Lk 18:1-7). The
seeking is defined by some criteria. The better the criteria, the more
certainty one can have of finding what one is looking for. To knock at the door
is done with the hope that there will be someone on the other side of the door
at home. Jesus completes the recommendation, offering the certainty of the
response: “Ask and you shall receive; seek and you shall find; knock and it
will be opened; because anyone who asks receives, and anyone who seeks will
find and to anyone who knocks the door will be opened”. That means that when we
ask God, He listens to our petition. When we seek God, He allows Himself to be
found (Isa 5: 5-6). When we knock on the door of God’s house, He opens the door
for us.
• Mathew 7:9-11: Jesus’ question to the people. “Is there anyone
among you who would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or would hand
him a snake when he asked for a fish?” Here appears the simple and direct way
which Jesus has for teaching the things of God to the people. Speaking to the
parents, He connects Himself to the daily experience. Between the lines of the
question one can guess the response the people yelled out: “No!” because nobody
gives a stone to a son who asks for bread. There is no father and no mother who
would give a snake to their son when he asks for a fish. And Jesus draws the
conclusion: “If you, then, evil as you are, know how to give your children what
is good, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who
ask Him!” Jesus calls us evil to stress the certainty of being listened to by
God when we ask Him for something. And this, because if we who are not saints,
know how to give good things to our children, how much more is the Father in
heaven. This comparison has as its objective to take away from our heart any
doubt concerning the prayer addressed to God with trust. God will listen! Luke
adds that God will give the Holy Spirit (Lk 11:13).
• Mathew 7:12: The Golden Rule. "So always treat others as
you would like them to treat you; that is the law and the prophets.” This is
the summary of the entire Old Testament, of the law and the prophets. And this
is the summary of everything which God wants to tell us, the summary of all the
teaching of Jesus. This Golden Rule is not found only in the teaching of Jesus,
but also, in one way or other, in all religions. This responds to the most
profound and more universal sentiment of humanity.
4) Personal questions
• Ask, seek, knock on the door: How do you pray and speak with
God?
• Are you persistent in what you ask for, as the widow in Lk 18:1-7 was, or do you give up after not getting results immediately? Would you pray persistently (and insistently) for years, or just months, or just a week?
• How are your wants aligned with what God would want for you?
• How do you live the Golden Rule?
• Are you persistent in what you ask for, as the widow in Lk 18:1-7 was, or do you give up after not getting results immediately? Would you pray persistently (and insistently) for years, or just months, or just a week?
• How are your wants aligned with what God would want for you?
• How do you live the Golden Rule?
5) Concluding prayer
Lord I praise Your name for Your faithful love and Your
constancy;
Your promises surpass even Your fame.
You heard me on the day when I called,
and You gave new strength to my heart. (Ps 138: 2-3)
Your promises surpass even Your fame.
You heard me on the day when I called,
and You gave new strength to my heart. (Ps 138: 2-3)
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