November 21st - Reflection

Esther 2:1-18 (NRSV)
Lowly Esther becomes queen
After these things, when the anger of King Ahasuerus had abated, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. Then the king's servants who attended him said, "Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king. And let the king appoint commissioners in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in the citadel of Susa under custody of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women; let their cosmetic treatments be given them. And let the girl who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti." This pleased the king, and he did so.

Now there was a Jew in the citadel of Susa whose name was Mordecai son of Jair son of Shimei son of Kish, a Benjaminite. Kish had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with King Jeconiah of Judah, whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had carried away. Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is Esther, his cousin, for she had neither father nor mother; the girl was fair and beautiful, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai adopted her as his own daughter. So when the king's order and his edict were proclaimed, and when many young women were gathered in the citadel of Susa in custody of Hegai, Esther also was taken into the king's palace and put in custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women. The girl pleased him and won his favor, and he quickly provided her with her cosmetic treatments and her portion of food, and with seven chosen maids from the king's palace, and advanced her and her maids to the best place in the harem. Esther did not reveal her people or kindred, for Mordecai had charged her not to tell. Every day Mordecai would walk around in front of the court of the harem, to learn how Esther was and how she fared.

The turn came for each girl to go in to King Ahasuerus, after being twelve months under the regulations for the women, since this was the regular period of their cosmetic treatment, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with perfumes and cosmetics for women. When the girl went in to the king she was given whatever she asked for to take with her from the harem to the king's palace. In the evening she went in; then in the morning she came back to the second harem in custody of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch, who was in charge of the concubines; she did not go in to the king again, unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.

When the turn came for Esther daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had adopted her as his own daughter, to go in to the king, she asked for nothing except what Hegai the king's eunuch, who had charge of the women, advised. Now Esther was admired by all who saw her. When Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus in his royal palace in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign, the king loved Esther more than all the other women; of all the virgins she won his favor and devotion, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then the king gave a great banquet to all his officials and ministers "Esther's banquet." He also granted a holiday to the provinces, and gave gifts with royal liberality.

Reflection
I've always tended toward reading these passages as a fairy tale. But on second thought, maybe deeper thought; I feel for the women being hoarded in and taken from family, most likely not willingly, to be paraded in front of the king because of their beauty. Beauty, instead of being an asset has become a reason for humiliation. Sure, if you won you may be queen, but how can you trust this king? Maybe he just wanted to see all the most beautiful women in his kingdom? Just look at the passages preceding and you will discover see his attitude and respect towards women.

But Esther, as a Jew in exile, was lead to see this as an opportunity by Mordecai. If successful, Esther could be a key leader in the rescue of the Jews from exile in Babylon. Esther, with great bravery takes the chance and follows Mordecai's advice.

We all have opportunities that come and go from time to time that enable us to help the larger community. Sometimes we need to be brave and take that step. Sometimes we have been given an asset that God would like for us to apply to the greater good of all instead of keeping that asset to ourselves. Sometimes we need to be that person, like Mordecai, that points out that asset to the person that has it and give a little push. In either case, I think, we are called to use the gifts God has given us to help the greater community in the love of God. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, I give thanks for all the gifts that the Holy Spirit has given the church and all it's people. Be with us and lead us and guide us as we use those gifts to further your will and your way in your kingdom ... today ... tomorrow ... and forever. --- Amen