First reading Esther 4:17
I am alone, Lord, and have no-one but you
Queen Esther took refuge with the Lord in the mortal peril which had overtaken her. She besought the Lord God of Israel in these words:
‘My Lord, our King, the only one,
come to my help, for I am alone
and have no helper but you
and am about to take my life in my hands.
‘I have been taught from my earliest years, in the bosom of my family,
that you, Lord, chose
Israel out of all the nations
and our ancestors out of all the people of old times
to be your heritage for ever;
and that you have treated them as you promised.
‘Remember, Lord; reveal yourself
in the time of our distress.
‘As for me, give me courage,
King of gods and master of all power.
Put persuasive words into my mouth
when I face the lion;
change his feeling into hatred for our enemy,
that the latter and all like him may be brought to their end.
‘As for ourselves, save us by your hand,
and come to my help, for I am alone
and have no one but you, Lord.’
Responsorial Psalm 137(138):1-3,7-8
On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord.
I thank you, Lord, with all my heart:
you have heard the words of my mouth.
In the presence of the angels I will bless you.
I will adore before your holy temple.
I thank you for your faithfulness and love,
which excel all we ever knew of you.
On the day I called, you answered;
you increased the strength of my soul.
You stretch out your hand and save me,
your hand will do all things for me.
Your love, O Lord, is eternal,
discard not the work of your hands.
Gospel Matthew 7:7-12
Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find
Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him. Is there a man among you who would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or would hand him a snake when he asked for a fish? If you, then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
‘So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.’
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Pray with faith
Today, Jesus invites us to pray by continually turning to God, seeking Him without ceasing, knocking with confidence, and asking sincerely for what we truly need. With trusting hearts, we believe that God, our loving Father, listens to our prayers and responds in His own time and according to His loving will. Like Esther in the first reading, we are called to approach God with deep trust and humility: “My Lord, our King, the only one, come to my help, for I am alone and have no one but You.”
Today, Jesus calls us to engage in sincere, faith-filled prayer. Such a prayer believes that God can act, even while honestly asking for greater faith: “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.” Let us be confident that God, our Father, desires to give us all that is truly good. He has promised this. Our part is to trust, to persevere, and to pray with sincerity and faith from the heart.
Reflective question:
What does it mean for me to pray with persistent faith rather than with polite or routine words?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD
