Saturday 8 May 2021
Theme : " Overcoming the worries of difficult times " Text : Esther 4: 1-17
1. Mordecai, having learned all that was going on, tore his clothes, wrapped himself in a sackcloth and covered himself with ashes. Then he went into the middle of the city, uttering a loud bitter cry, 2. and went to the king's gate, the entry of which was forbidden to anyone wearing sackcloth. 3. In every province, wherever the king's command and his edict came, there was great desolation among the Jews; they fasted and wept and lamented, and many lay down on sackcloth and ashes. 4. Esther's maids and her eunuchs came to tell her this, and the queen was very frightened. She sent clothes to Mordecai to cover him and make him remove his bag, but he did not accept them. 5. Then Esther called Hathac, one of the eunuchs whom the king had placed with her, and she charged him to go and ask Mordecai what it was and where it came from. 6. Hathac went to Mordecai in the town square, in front of the king's gate. 7. And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and told him the sum of money which Haman had promised to deliver into the king's treasury in return for the slaughter of the Jews. 8. He also gave him a copy of the edict published in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther and make it known to her; and he ordered Esther to come to the king to ask for mercy and to implore him on behalf of his people. 9. Hathac came to report Mordecai's words to Esther. 10. Esther ordered Hathac to go and tell Mordecai: 11. All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that there is a law on the death penalty against whoever, male or female, enters the king's house in the inner courtyard, without having been called; that one alone is saved, to whom the king holds out the golden scepter. And I have not been called to the king for thirty days. 12. When Esther's words had been told to Mordecai, 13. Mordecai answered Esther, Do not imagine that you will escape from all the Jews alone, because you are in the king's house; 14. For if you hold your peace now, on the other hand help and salvation will come to the Jews, and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows if it wasn't for a time like this that you came to royalty? 15. Esther sent to Mordecai to say: 16. Go, gather all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me, without eating or drinking for three days, night or day. I too will fast in the same way with my maidservants, then I will go to the king, in spite of the law; and if I must perish, I will perish. 17. Mordecai went and did all that Esther had commanded him.
Let us remember:
In difficult times, Christians must tear their hearts apart as a sign of desolation before God and men. Then, we must take out the great means that God has made available to us, which are fasting and prayer. When possible, we should seek the help of companions in the work of God in order to humble ourselves together before God and to long for his help. Depending on the ranks and social ranks, everyone can make use of their prerogatives to help break the deadlock; however, this should only come after the great offensive of fasting and prayer. In difficult times, we must not break the social dialogue, we must communicate with his neighbor who has a good understanding of things and who has an alert mind; who fears God and listens to him. What to avoid is panicking, shutting yourself in and crying in your corner. Excellent Saturday. Amen Alain Louz.-
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