Queen Esther prayed: “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. Put in my mouth persuasive words in the presence of the lion and turn his heart to hatred for our enemy. Save us from the hand of our enemies; turn our mourning into gladness and our sorrows into wholeness." (Esther C: 12, 14-16, 23-25)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031325.cfm
Esther is one of the most famous women of the Bible. Her example of prayer is not some butterfly ecstasy . . . but rather sheer terror in confronting the enemies of her people. And with God’s grace, Esther prevails. When he was elected, before imparting his apostolic blessing, Pope Francis bowed his head and asked us to pray for him. Let us continue to pray for one another this Lent and for Pope Francis.
These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
Thursday I, Lent
