GRACE IS THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT IN THE SOUL

Esther c:12,14-16,23-25; Ps 138 Lord, on the day I called of help, you answered me; Matt 7:7-12

"As A child I used t hear from the books of my forefathers that you, O LORD, always free those who are pleasing to you.  NOw, help me, who am alone and have no one but you, O LORD, my God…"


We have entered into the story of salvation at the reference point of Esther, the queen who seeks to fight for her people Israel against conniving man who wants to serve only himself.

It is a beauty story of faith,  Esther puts her life on the line.  I recommend reading it.

But what I want to call to mind is the line of her prayer as she recalls from her childhood the stories she heard about GOd's action in and through the forefathers.

What a beautiful reality.  Memory is such a wonderful thing, a precious gift.

To have that memory of faith as we journey through life is such a necessary component to ensuring tranquility and peace of mind and heart.

So many do not know.  So many of today do not have that memory of faith.  Many children have their heads filled with Sponge Bob Square pants and Nick at Night and Disney.  They can tell you about Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse and Goofy and Dragon Ball z but they don't know the stories of faith that bring light into darkness, triumph in defeat.

This is where the victory of Christ begins to shine forth, when the young mind is exposed to the light of the gospel, the good news of God's action in and through salvation history.

The more the soul is enlightened by the stories of salvation history, the more the soul can identify with the heroes of the past, the more they are open to the light of grace.

Grace is the amount of light in the soul.

Esther was filled with light.  She became a light to her nation as she prayed to God for aid.

Jesus in the gospel for today give us the golden rule: "do to others whatever you would have them do to you."

But wait this isn't just a moral imperative.
 This is a guideline of action that God himself chooses to adhere.  He gives us this line right after he says these words about asking, knocking, and seeking: If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him."

The imperative to do to others whatever you would have do to you is really a description of God's motivation in giving to others.  He will give  to us  according to the desire of what he would have us do for him.

The golden rule is the self imposed regulation of God's way of acting toward us.  This is good news.