Have Mercy on Thy People

   Each morning, when I finish my usual prayer discipline, I look in my Missal for the Mass of the day. It may have a saint's (or saints') feast, or it may not. During Lent, each day of the week has something to say about salvation, Christ's preaching and so on.  Today, the Wednesday of the Second Week in Lent, caught my attention because of content. The Epistle for the day's Mass is from the Old Testament, Esther 13: 8-11,15-17.  It has the prayer of Mordecai, Esther's father, begging the Lord's help. Aman had determined to destroy the Israelite people, much as certain forces today are determined to destroy the Church, and in fact Christianity as a whole.  Mordecai asked God to turn the people's sadness into joy. We, during Lent, ask God to turn our mourning for our sins into joy at His resurrection. To deserve that joy, the Gospel today, Matthew 20:17-28, tells us that we must first drink the chalice of the One who came to shed His blood to redeem us. If we die to our sins, we will share in His resurrection.

   Mordecai cries: "O Lord, O King, O God of Abraham, have mercy on Thy people, because our enemies resolve to destroy us, and extinguish Thy inheritance..........Hear my supplication, and be merciful to Thy lot and inheritance, and turn our mourning into joy, that we may live and praise Thy name, O Lord, and shut not the mouths of them that sing to Thee, O Lord our God."

   Of course, God heard and answered Mordecai. Esther, wife of the king, exposed Aman, who had accused the Israelites of crimes, and he wound up being executed for his infamy. We hope to turn our mourning during Lent into Joy at Our Lord's Resurrection.

   In the Gospel, Christ is going up to Jerusalem. He tells the disciples that He goes to be crucified, and that on the third day He will rise from the dead. The mother of the sons of Zebedee comes with her sons and asks Jesus to let her sons sit on either side of Him in Heaven. Christ asks if they can drink the chalice that He shall drink. They reply that they can. Christ says:" My chalice indeed you shall drink: but to sit on My right or left hand is not Mine to give to you, but to them for whom it is prepared by My Father." In other words, He rebukes them, as He has before for seeking a high place. Remember, "He that humbleth himself shall be exalted." At the same time He is saying that to follow Him we will have to suffer, to be persecuted and perhaps die for the Faith.

   He tells the disciples: "You know that the princes of the Gentiles (pagans - and by extension perhaps today's governments) lord it over them: and they that are the greater, exercise power upon them. It shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be the greater among you, let him be your minister: and he that will be first among you shall be your servant. Even as the Son of Man is not come to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a redemption for many."  We do not choose our place in Heaven. There will be a place for us, to share in Christ's Resurrection and Glory; but we must be willing to follow Him, even unto death.

   In the Gradual prayer, before the reading of the Gospel, is part of Psalm 27."Save Thy people, O Lord, and bless Thy inheritance."  The Offertory prayer is Psalm 26: 1-3. "To Thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul; in Thee, O my God, I put my trust, let me not be ashamed: neither let my enemies laugh at me: for none of them that wait on Thee shall be confounded."

   Today's Mass seems to anticipate our present troubles. The  Faithful are accused of "crimes" because of the opposition to immoral practices. The Church is threatened with fines for upholding God's Law. We will drink the chalice, as Christ said. There is so much ridicule, blasphemy and obscenity aimed at Christians, the like of which I never thought to see in this country. It is open, blatant and proud.

   A Prayer over the People at the end of the Mass today is apropos:
O God, the restorer and lover of innocence, direct to Thyself the hearts of Thy servants: that fervent in Thy spirit, they may be found both steadfast in faith and zealous in good works. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, who livest and reignest with God the Father in unity with the Holy Ghost, forever and ever. Amen.