Posted on 10/31/2015 3:35:30 PM PDT by NYer
There is a brief passage in the Book of Esther that serves as reminder to Catholic and other political leaders, judges, and other high officials and leaders, (not to exclude those of the clerical and religious ranks in the Church). For indeed, all who attain to higher leadership will one day render an account to the Lord for their leadership.
The fundamental warning of this text from Esther is not to forget who we are and whose we are and that God has placed Catholic leaders in higher authority to advance the Kingdom of God not our own standing.
Let’s look to the text from Esther recalling that Esther had become queen in the court of the Persian King Xerxes. During this period a grave threat came upon the Jewish people who were slated for genocide by the Xerxes’ assistant Haman. Esther’s uncle Mordecai sends word to her exhorting her to do what is right even if she dies for it. Let’s apply it to today: The text from Esther is in bold, black, italics. My commentary follows each excerpt.
“Remember the days of your lowly estate, when you were brought up in my charge; for Haman, who is second to the king, has asked for our death. Invoke the Lord and speak to the king for us: save us from death.”
In our own day there are grave threats faced by God’s people. Children are aborted by the millions. Euthanasia bills are proceeding through legislatures. And while the proponents extol the “right to die,” experience has shown elsewhere that the right to die becomes the duty to die. Here is a grave threat to elderly, those with disabilities, and chronic illnesses.
(Excerpt) Read more at ncregister.com ...
Ping!
MSGR Pope is always good, this one is especially needed.
This should be read aloud at the next meeting of the USCCB
we have been warned (several times in the holy Scriptures, this is perhaps my favorite verse on this topic:)
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
Matthew
the believers of all Biblical faith communities must stand eternally vigilant against any wolves sneaking into our clergy , particuarly in high level positions
I can't find any such passage in the Book of Esther. Can you cite the chapter and verse?
According to the New American Bible, Chapter 4 footnotes:
* [4:8] The Greek text adds the following to Mordecai’s message to Esther: “Remember the days of your lowly estate, when you were brought up in my charge; for Haman, who is second to the king, has asked for our death. Invoke the Lord and speak to the king for us: save us from death.”
Gotcha. One of the apochryphal additions to Esther. Not in the Hebrew.
The addition cited was put there in full disclosure it was found in the Greek edition by the same Church that existed at the time of Christ and which decided what writings would be accepted into the Scriptural Canon. Subsequent acts of withdrawing books as “apocryphal” were performed many centuries later by people who recognized their own opinion rather than the decision of the fathers of the first century.
Bttt
As a Jew, I do not get involved in internecine quarrels among Christians as to what belongs in their bible. But Esther is a book that was written in Hebrew, and was accepted into the Hebrew Bible well before Christians came along, and I trust the Hebrew text as more authentic than the Greek.
The Persians are a subspecies unto themselves. I learned to loathe the men some 40 years ago when they came to this country for a college education. Man alive they were SO arrogant. I just wanted to slap them silly.
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