Have we owned and grown in our faith? We grow up hearing about Jesus from our parents, family, pastors, teachers and friends. We learn of their faith and experiences with God. We admire them, and very often our journey of faith is based on what God has done for them. But there comes a time when each of us must face the question, is my faith now truly my own, or do I still live on what I hear from others? In today’s first reading, we hear Queen Ester declaring, “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” (Est. 43:14). She has now moved from what was read, to what is personally believed. Jesus tells us to “ask” (Mt. 7:7), so let us ask for that faith that is based on personal conviction. Lord Jesus, as I celebrate what You have done in the lives of others, I ask for the grace to have a stronger and more intimate personal faith relationship with You. Amen.

READINGS

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/030520.cfm