*Sacred Scripture* Esther Before Ahasuerus – Batoni
The Jewish heroine, Esther of the Old Testament, comes before King Ahasuerus, risking her life to plead for her people. Artwork by Batoni.
Est 7:1-8
1So the king and Haman went to the banquet with Queen Esther.
2Again, on this second day, as they were drinking wine, the king said to Esther, “Whatever you ask, Queen Esther, shall be granted you. Whatever request you make, even for half the kingdom, shall be honored.”a
3Queen Esther replied: “If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, I ask that my life be spared, and I beg that you spare the lives of my people.
4For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, killed, and annihilated. If we were only to be sold into slavery I would remain silent, for then our distress would not have been worth troubling the king.”b
5King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, “Who and where is the man who has dared to do this?”c
6Esther replied, “The enemy oppressing us is this wicked Haman.” At this, Haman was seized with dread of the king and queen.
7The king left the banquet in anger and went into the garden of the palace, but Haman stayed to beg Queen Esther for his life, since he saw that the king had decided on his doom.
8When the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman had thrown himself on the couch on which Esther was reclining; and the king exclaimed, “Will he also violate the queen while she is with me in my own house!” Scarcely had the king spoken when the face of Haman was covered over.
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/esther/7
Saying the holy name of Jesus is the simplest way of praying always.
1-A prayer from Raphael the Archangel:
*While you are on this earth, you must praise the Lord God and give him thanks.
2-A prayer from Tobit and Tobias:
*They began to sing hymns of praise, giving thanks for all the mighty deeds God had done while his angel Raphael had been with them.
3-A simple Jesus prayer:
*Lord, Lord, Jesus Christ…Son of God…have mercy on me…Be kind to others…Work Hard…Be joyful.
4-Another prayer:
*When all that God asks of us is to be quiet and keep ourselves at peace-attentive to the secret work He is beginning in our souls-Be Empty and See That I Am God.
Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.
Ps 96:7–9