Thursday, March 14, 2019


Thursday of the First Week in Lent

(Esther C:12.14-16; 23-25; Matthew 7:7-12)

You will not find today’s passage from the Book of Esther in most so-called Protestant Bibles.  Its composition in the Greek language has put it outside the Canons of Jews and Protestants.  The Catholic patriarchs, however, decided that many Jewish scriptures written in the Greek or Aramaic languages deserve consideration as the inspired word of God.  Today’s passage certainly indicates a custom that Jews and Christians have practiced since their origins.  In times of trouble, pious people always turn to God for deliverance. 

Although God certainly has no need of human attention, He has been revealed as a father who cares for all His children.  This is certainly Jesus’ intention in today’s gospel passage. He tells his disciples that even more than their fathers on earth, God will assist them.  He exhorts them to ask Him to ask in prayer for what they need

Just about all of us have had a positive experience when we turned to God in our need.  Perhaps we misplaced a book or are looking for a parking place.  Rather than fretting over the matter, we humbly asked God for help.  Then, quite remarkably, we found what we were searching for.  It seems to happen more often than randomness can explain.  Yet it also seems that if we ever tried to test the probability, we would come out frustrated.