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Thursday, March 13, 2003

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Queen Esther was a Jewish woman who was married to the King of Persia. When the king's right-hand-man Aman became jealous of Queen Esther's father, Aman convinced the king to massacre all Jews in the kingdom. It was up to Queen Esther to convince her husband the king to change his mind. Risking her own life, she asked the king to spare the Jews. Not only did he spare them, but he also punished Aman by hanging him on the gallows Aman had prepared for the father of Queen Esther.

Queen Esther is revered among the Jewish people as something of a co-redemptrix, as we believe Mary to be. Through her "yes" to risk her life in order to save her people, the Jews were redeemed from destruction and Aman was destroyed on the gallows instead. Through Mary's "yes" to God, we are redeemed and Satan ends up hanging on the gallows.

Queen Esther knew that she would fail without God's help, and so she turned to Him in her distress, and called upon Him for help.

from the Book of Esther:

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.


From the Psalm for today:

When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.


And from the Gospel:

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.


We can recall that Jesus also said that HE stands at the door and knocks. Today, in the reading, He is saying that we need only knock on the door and it shall be opened. Come to Him, and He will come to you. Say "yes" to God, and He will say "yes" to you. Find peace in knowing that He has already defeated Satan, and to be saved from Satan, you need only say "yes" and knock on the door.

God bless you.

Love from Lisa

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