THURSDAY, February 25, 2010 - FIRST WEEK IN LENT

 ESTHER C:12, 14-16, 23-25    

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, 0 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.” 

                ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

MATTHEW 7:7-12

Jesus said to his disciples: "Ask, and you will receive.  Seek, and you will find.  Knock, and it will be opened to you.  For the one who asks, receives.  The one who seeks, finds.  The one who knocks, enters.  Would one of you hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf, or a poisonous snake when he asks for a fish?  If you, with all your sins, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will you heavenly Father give good things to anyone who asks him!
        

"Treat others the way you would have them treat you; this sums up the law and the prophets."

                    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sometimes I read this particular Gospel passage and think to myself, "Yea, but what about this thing I asked for or that prayer that went unanswered?  I've been knocking like crazy and no one's home."  Then I read the passage again more carefully.  Jesus is not saying that whatever we ask for we will get.  He relates it to parenting.  "Would one of you hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf, or a poisonous snake when he asks for a fish?  If you, with all your sins, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will you heavenly Father give good things to anyone who asks him!"  Put another way: Would one of you hand his son a poisonous snake even if he asked for it?  What if you child asked you if she could skip doing her homework to watch TV and relax?  What if your child didn't want to eat good foods but only wanted junk food?  Or your son asked to take the car even though he did not know how to drive; would you give them what they wanted?

Our heavenly Father will give us whatever is good for us, all that we really need, not necessarily all that we want.  That's why when Jesus says, "Ask anything in my name and it will be granted to you."  To ask "in my name" means to ask with the heart of Jesus.  Whatever is part of the plan of God for us, whatever is good for our spiritual growth, whatever will help us to grow strong spiritually, we will be granted. 

Hard things happen to us and we may feel like God has abandoned us.  Sometimes these things are the result of our own decisions; sometimes they are the result of things beyond our control. We can be sure that God will give us whatever we need to get through it.  God doesn't take all suffering away; that would not be good for us.  He gives us the strength to endure.  Sometimes God says no to our requests because he has something better in mind.  One of my favorite Garth Brooks songs is titled "Unanswered Prayers."  In this song he sings that sometimes God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.

                 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Lord Jesus, help me to trust in your love and wisdom.  Help me to pray for all my wants and needs but help me also to accept that whatever the answer, it will be the best for me.