Thursday of the First Week in Lent
In our modern culture, we have a tendency to believe that we are self-sufficient. We can take care of ourselves... and indeed, those who fail to take care of themselves are considered weak or, in the language of our tax forms, “dependents.” To be dependent upon others is considered by many a form of humiliation. To rely on another for food, money, clothing, shelter is something only appropriate for children, we believe.
This concept of self-sufficiency is both a lie of our culture and an idol of our culture. We treasure our independence, but at the same time we know that we rely on others for countless things. Most importantly, however, we are utterly dependent on God. It’s a hard thing to acknowledge when we’re used to thinking that we’re self-sufficient. Many times people can only acknowledge their dependence and reach out for God when they are in a situation of extreme need – alcoholism, the death of a family member, unemployment, poverty, severe illness, and so on.
What we are meant to do, however, is to make a habit of turning to God, for everything that we need. Then, when we are in difficult situations, turning to God will come naturally. In today’s first reading, Queen Esther is in a desperate spot. The people of Israel are under foreign governance, and, as often happened, they are not faring well. Esther petitions God, with fasting and prayer, along with all of her handmaids. This moment of intense prayer is not a one-time event for Esther; she has been used to turning to God and living for God in everything she does. It has helped her to trust in God even in the midst of suffering, and she has confidence that God will answer her prayers in a way that will help her to grow closer to God.
This theme is carried throughout the psalm and the gospel reading as well. In the gospel, Jesus tells his disciples to ask, seek, and knock. Better than the most loving Father, God will give, God will help you find, and God will open the door. The responsorial psalm refrain, meanwhile, says “Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me” (Ps 138:3a). So the message is clear, right?
But haven’t you ever had a situation where you prayed for something and didn’t get it? Most of us have. And when this happens we have to try to see some kind of grace in our unanswered prayers. Maybe we are supposed to learn from the situation or maybe God has something even better in store for us. Our relationship with God does not work like a vending machine, where we put in a prayer and push a button to get the result we want. At the same time, we have to remember that we ARE children of God, and we do have a good and loving Father who doesn’t mind if we nag Him with our requests. We must realize our dependence on God and acknowledge that all our life’s blessings come from God.
In this season of Lent, let us remind ourselves that God will always provide for us in the way that we need. We may not always understand God’s will, and it may not match up with what we want for ourselves. But we can’t be afraid to ask! If we get in the habit of turning to God for everything – throughout every single day – then we will get better at aligning our will to God and recognizing God’s gifts when they come to us. As we live out Lent today, let us pray that our penitential sacrifices make us ever more dependent upon God...and hence ever more confident in his goodness. Maria Morrow