Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection March 13, 2025

13th March 2025 (Thursday)

Psalter: Week 1

Readings of the Day

First Reading: Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25

Queen Esther, seized with mortal anguish, had recourse to the LORD. She lay prostrate upon the ground, together with her handmaids, from morning until evening, and said: “God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, blessed are you. Help me, who am alone and have no help but you, for I am taking my life in my hand. As a child I used to 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. “And now, come to help me, an orphan. Put in my mouth persuasive words in the presence of the lion and turn his heart to hatred for our enemy, so that he and those who are in league with him may perish. Save us from the hand of our enemies; turn our mourning into gladness and our sorrows into wholeness.”

Psalm 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8 (R. 3a)

R/. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.

R/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.

V/. A clean heart create for me, O God; give me back the joy of your salvation.

R/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.

Gospel: Matthew 7:7-12

Jesus said to his disciples: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asked for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asked for a fish? 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. “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets.”

Daily Gospel Reflection

Thursday – First Week of Lent

Main Point: The power of genuine prayer is tremendous. It can change the whole course of action. It can reverse the events. And a genuine prayer is that which comes from a heart that abandons itself to God

Today’s word of God pivots around the need and power of prayer. Turn to God in prayer. Lay your cares at His feet. Surrender yourself totally to Him. This is what queen Esther does. She was seized with deadly anxiety at the impending danger of the destruction of her people. She feels all alone and helpless, as she prays twice: “Help me, who am alone and have no helper but you”.

But she does not give up her hope. She is not disillusioned. Her helplessness does not lead her to hopelessness but to complete abandonment. Even in desperate and seemingly “gone-the case” situations, she puts her trust totally in God.

And this is exactly what Jesus exhorts us for: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you”. What is the basis for this trust? It is nothing but God’s unconditional love and care for us. He is a loving Father who never lets down His children.

Now, the effects of a genuine prayer are: One, receiving God’s blessings and favours. Second, practicing the golden rule, that is, doing to others what we want them to do to us. In the context of prayer, it can mean, if I want God to do all good things to me, then I must also do all good things to others. This certainly leads to the context of fraternity.

My Practice: If you follow the golden rule, life will become golden. Relationships will become highly empathetic, understanding, and magnanimous. Very specially, double standards can be restricted