First Reading (Esther 4:17)
Reading of the Book of Esther.
In those days, Queen Esther, fearing the approaching danger of death, sought refuge in the Lord. He prostrated himself on the ground from morning until dusk, together with his servants, and said: “God of Abraham, God of Isaac and God of Jacob, you are blessed. Come to my help, for I am alone and have no other defender besides you, Lord, for I myself have exposed myself to danger. Lord, I have heard, from the books of my ancestors, that you free, Lord, until the end, all those who are dear to you. Now therefore, help me, to I am alone and have no one but you, Lord my God. Come, therefore, to the aid of my orphanhood. Put an attractive speech on my lips, when I stand before the lion, and change my heart so that I hate him who attacks us, so that he perishes with all his accomplices.
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Gospel (Matthew 7,7-12)
Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew.
— Glory to you, Lord.
At that time, 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; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Who among you gives his son a stone when he asks for bread? Or gives him a snake when he asks for a fish? Now if you, who are evil, know how to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven will give good things to those who ask him! Whatever you want others to do to you, do this also for them.
— Word of Salvation.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Today, as we delve into the Word of God, we find two readings deeply rich in teachings about prayer, trust in God and His generous response to those who seek Him with sincerity of heart.
Our first reading takes us to the book of Esther, where we see a moment of extreme distress. Esther, a woman chosen by God for a time of great trial, raises her voice in prayer and cries out to the Lord with all her soul: “My Lord, our King, You are unique! Come to my aid, for I am alone and have no defender but You” (Esther 4:17). This intense plea comes from the heart of a woman who understands her weakness, but knows that, before the throne of God, nothing is impossible.
In the Gospel, Jesus presents us with a direct and encouraging teaching: “Ask, and it will be given to you! Seek, and you will find! Knock, and it will be opened to you!” (Mt 7:7). These words are an invitation to trust and perseverance in prayer. God is not indifferent to our needs. He does not stand aloof or hide when we cry out. On the contrary, He is always attentive, always close, always ready to welcome us.
To better illustrate this truth, let’s imagine a young child who wants something from his father. If she wants a piece of bread, she asks insistently. If she wants her father to carry her, she extends her arms expectantly. The father, who loves his child, fulfills the request, not because the child has power over him, but because he wants to give the best for him. This is how God is with us. We are His beloved children, and He delights in giving us what we truly need for our good.
But let’s look at Esther’s cry. She was facing a threat of extermination against her people. There was fear, there was darkness, there was anguish. And even so, she did not resort first to human strategies, but raised her heart to Heaven. How many times do we, when faced with challenges, try to solve everything ourselves before turning to God? Like Esther, we are called to recognize that there are times when only divine power can save us.
Jesus teaches us that prayer is not an empty monologue, but a living dialogue with the Father. It is not just asking, but seeking. It’s not just knocking on the door, but waiting in faith. This means that prayer must be accompanied by action and perseverance. If we want to find God, we need to seek Him with a sincere heart and a willingness to listen to Him.
Let’s think of a gardener who wants to harvest fruit. He doesn’t just plant the seeds and fold his arms. He waters, takes care of the soil, protects the seedlings. Likewise, when we pray, we must accompany our prayer with concrete attitudes of faith and hope.
But there is an even deeper aspect. Jesus tells us about the goodness of the Father: “Who among you will give a stone to his son who asks him for bread? Or will he give him a snake when he asks for a fish?” (Mt 7,9-10). Here we see that God not only answers our prayers, but always responds with what is best for us. Sometimes we ask for something that we think is good, but that, in reality, can take us away from Him. And, in His infinite wisdom, He gives us what we really need, even if it is not what we expected.
Esther asked for deliverance for her people, and God used her to fulfill that purpose. Perhaps she expected a different solution, but by trusting, she was an instrument of Israel’s salvation. When we pray, we must also be open to accepting God’s answer, even if it comes differently than we imagined.
Brothers and sisters, may we learn from Esther to trust in the Lord in times of distress. May we ask with faith, seek with perseverance and knock on the door of God’s heart with unshakable hope. He never leaves us alone, he never abandons us. If we knew how much God loves us and wants to bless us, we would never hesitate to give ourselves entirely to Him.
At this moment, I invite everyone to close their eyes and, in silence, present their deepest needs to God. Let us give Him our fears, our difficulties, but also our trust and our desire to remain in His presence.
Lord, like Esther, we cry out to You. Come to our aid, guide our steps, strengthen our faith. Give us the grace to always trust in You, because we know that You are a good and loving Father. May our prayer be persevering and our heart always be open to receive Your will. Amen.
May the Lord bless us and lead us on the path of true prayer and unshakable trust. Amen.
