April 19, 2020, Esther 7:1-10 – Post 2 – ISSL Reflections

IV.
Today I want to pick-up a thread or two from Monday’s post.

In my brief summary of events leading to what we encounter in chapter 7, I mentioned, “Esther’s call for fasting and prayer.” As I reread chapter 4, I see I spoke in error. What we read in chapter 4 is,

“Then Esther said in reply to Mordecai, ‘Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will also fast as you do. After that I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.’ Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.” – Esther 4:15-17

She mentions fasting but not prayer. While it is common, very common, to connect the two, we don’t see that here. And, Esther asks Mordecai to gather the Jews to “fast on my behalf.”

What do you think? Is this Esther being spiritual, self-centered, or covering her bases?

I am not trying to be overly critical of Esther. I am asking us to try to understand where Esther finds herself and pay attention to how she attempts to make sense of the situation and find the “right” course of action.

V.
What might you and I do when we try to find the right path? The buzz word for that is “discernment.”

Are there spiritual practices you fall back on when you have to make choices, hard choices, decide which path to take, determine how to move forward?

Esther says she will fast, her maids will fast and she asks that the Jews of Susa fast for her.

Maybe we need to consider not only the spiritual practices we fall back on, but also consider who we ask to be there for us. Who will we ask to share our struggles? Will we trust they will give themselves to support us?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}


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