Homilies

February 14, 2008
Thursday of the 1st Week of Lent
Esther C 12:14-16, 23-25; Matthew 7:7-12
Fr. Jerome Machar, OCSO

The holy season of Lent affords us an opportunity to deepen our commitment to living the Gospel. The disciplines of lent are intended to free us to ponder the mysteries of the faith that we were taught since the days of our youth, especially: "God had such a great love for the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believed in Him would not perish but enjoy eternal life" (Jn. 3: 16). Throughout these sacred days we can plumb the depths of God's merciful love. The purpose of fasting and bodily mortification is to draw us into an experience of the poverty of our being. In this evening's first reading we heard how "Queen Esther was seized with mortal anguish and in that weakened state she cried out to the Lord" (Esther C: 12).

In order to unite herself to the pain and anguish of her people, Esther undertook a period of fasting and prayer. In an age that revels in the notion of entitlement and demands instant sensual gratification, it might be good to ponder the message this great queen received from her uncle Mordecai before beginning her fast. "Do not suppose that, because you are in the king's palace, you are going to be the one Jew to escape.  No; if you persist in remaining silent at such a time, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another quarter, but both you and your father's whole family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to the throne for just such a time as this" (Esther 4:13-14).

Throughout the days of lent, holy mother, the Church encourages us to lay aside our presumed entitlements. We are instructed to postpone sensual gratification and take up the various disciplines that can bring about interior renewal: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Only by allowing ourselves to be hungry and by slowing or interrupting the flow of input to our minds can we hope to get in touch with our core poverty. It is important that we strip off all our accumulated creature comforts. It is necessary that we reduce the amount of sensory stimulation we enjoy. Only then will we be able to hear the cries of the poor and forgotten.

Through self-denial and spiritual austerity we will be able to live in the freedom that comes with the obedience of faith. "Taking off her splendid garments, she put on garments of distress and mourning. In place of her precious ointments she covered her head with dust and ashes" (Esther C: 13). Esther laid aside all the pomp of her royal rank and donned sackcloth and ashes, tangible signs of her mortal plight. All her hopes and joys were reduced to a heap of ashes. Her weakness made her strong in faith. Her emptiness made her receptive to the awesome wonder of God's saving power.

Let us pray: O Lord, you alone are God. Do not abandon us. Hold us close to Your heart so that we may live this day in tranquility and peace. Deliver us from all bondage of Ego so that we might better do your will without stumbling and without stain. Let us see Your face in times of distress. Save us from the attacks of the evil one because of your boundless and ever-faithful love. Bring us to the eventide of our lives victorious over all temptation so that we may praise you, the Eternal God who governs all things, forever and ever. Amen.