The Answer is Yes

Homily for Thursday of the First Week in Lent

Thursday of the First Week in Lent is the one and only time that a reading from the Book of Esther is used in the entire calendar year. While it appears with the other history books of the Hebrew Scriptures, it is not based on an actual person or event. There are two extant manuscripts of this book of the Scriptures, one in Hebrew and the other in Greek. Interestingly enough, the Hebrew manuscript has not one reference to the God of Israel. It is for this reason that the Catholic Church uses the Greek manuscript which does include devotion to the living God.

The passage that we hear today might be described as a lamentation or lament. Esther and her handmaidens prostrate themselves for the entire day, fasting from all food and drink, asking that God deliver them from those who would see them put to death. The narrative seems to imply that Esther was an instrument that God used to save the entire number of the Hebrew captives, enslaved during the Babylonian captivity.

The Gospel text for today is very familiar. Ask, seek, knock and God will answer. Connecting the two readings, the church uses Psalm 138, a thanksgiving psalm for prayers that have been answered. The example of Esther shows us exactly how God answers our prayers. God accompanies those who seek him with unexpected companionship of people who can aid us in our search. Through the agency of this woman of the Hebrew race, God saves Esther and her people. In fact, the one who was seeking her death meets death himself.

Intercessory prayers verbalize our needs and our concerns while at the same time reminding us that God will answer our prayers in unexpected ways. Those who persevere in prayer will eventually find the answer to their prayers.