Thursday of the First Week of Lent
(Esther C:12.14-16.23-25; Matthew 7:7-12)
Michael “Mickey” Schachle was born six years ago to a couple
in central Tennessee. He has Down
Syndrome, but it is remarkable that he is alive at all. During his mother’s pregnancy, medical
personnel discovered that Mickey had fetal hydrops, a life-threatening
condition. Coupled with his chromosomal
abnormality, his doctor gave Mickey no chance of survival. His parents then prayed for a miracle to Fr.
Michael McGivney, the founder of the Knights of Columbus. Afterwards, the fatal condition was no longer
present. Through the intercession of his parents and Fr. McGivney, God has
granted Mickey life, happiness, and love today.
Equally so Queen Esther’s prayers in today’s first reading
are answered. She is appealing to the
Lord for her Jewish people in Persia who are being threatened with
genocide. The plot, which the king’s
minister has woven, to kill the Jews is foiled when the minister’s treachery is
revealed. In the gospel Jesus tells his
disciples to pray like Esther – sincerely, determinedly, and beseechingly.
We sometimes become discouraged when our prayers are not
answered as we imagined they would be. That should be no reason to stop praying
but to pray even harder. God, who loves
us more than we could appreciate or even know, heeds our requests. He will help us according to his
all-beneficent will. We should never
stop praying.
