Everyone who asks receives.
FIRST READING
(Esther 14.1, 3-5, 12-14)
1 Queen Esther, seized with deadly anxiety, fled to the Lord.
3 She prayed to the Lord God of Israel, and said:
“O my Lord, you only are our king;
help me, who am alone and have no helper but you,
4 for my danger is in my hand.
5 Ever since I was born I have heard in the tribe of my family
that you, O Lord, took Israel out of all the nations,
and our ancestors from among all their forebears,
for an everlasting inheritance,
and that you did for them all that you promised.
12 “Remember, O Lord;
make yourself known in this time of our affliction,
and give me courage,
O King of the gods and Master of all dominion!
13 Put eloquent speech in my mouth before the lion,
and turn his heart to hate the man who is fighting against us,
so that there may be an end of him
and those who agree with him.
14 But save us by your hand, and help me,
who am alone and have no helper but you, O Lord.”
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
(Psalm 138.1-2a, 2bc-3, 7c-8)
(R.3a)
Response: Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
1 I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name
for your steadfast love and your faithfulness.
For you have exalted your name
and your word above everything.
3 On the day I called, you answered me,
you increased my strength of soul.
7 You stretch out your hand, and your right hand delivers me.
8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.
GOSPEL
(Matthew 7.7-12)
Gathered on the hillside with the disciples,
Jesus began to teach them:
7 “Ask, and it will be given you;
search, and you will find;
knock, and the door will be opened for you.
8 For everyone who asks receives,
and everyone who searches finds,
and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 “Is there anyone among you who,
if your child asks for bread, will give a stone?
10 Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake?
11 If you then, who are evil,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your Father in heaven
give good things to those who ask him!
12 “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you;
for this is the law and the prophets.”
