Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22 • Esther pleads for the life of her people.
Mark 9:38-50 • If you hand causes you to stumble, cut it off.

Have you ever had to hide who you are? Have you ever found yourself living in a community where your life would be at risk if you shared your truth? Have you ever felt that you didn’t fit in anywhere? Throughout history Christians have been persecuted and Christians themselves have persecuted others. The story of Esther is a story of courage and conviction to stand in the face of oppression. Esther was valued for her beauty, not her brains. She was a young woman who was willing to risk her own safety and security for the well-being of her people. As a community of faith who do we stay strong and risk our own safety and security for the well-being of people who have been oppressed and persecuted? How do we on the day of World Wide Communion stand up so that all people of faith can proclaim God’s name, and know that God sees them, and loves them? What makes us strong is our compassion, and our ability to stand together for a just world.
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