四旬期第一周星期四
Thursday of the First Week of Lent
读经一
恭读艾斯德尔传 4 补丙：10-12, 17-19
艾斯德尔王后，自觉有死的威胁，于是投奔到上主前；脱去华服，穿上悲伤哀悼的衣裳，头上撒上灰尘和粪土，以代替贵重的香膏，严厉刻苦肉身，头发散垂，毫无装饰，向上主以色列的天主祈祷说：“我的上主！只有你是我们的君王，求你援助我这孤苦无靠的人！除你以外，我没有别的救援，因为危险已迫于眉睫。我自幼在我父家，就听说是你，上主，从各民族中拣选了以色列；又从各民族的祖先中拣选了我们的祖先，作你永远的产业：凡你所预许的，无不一一给他们实践。“上主！求你记念我们，在这灾难之时，求你显现！神明的君王，全能的主宰，求增我勇气！赐我在猛狮前，口能说动听的话；求你转变他的心意，去憎恨我们的仇人，使那人和与他同谋的人，同归于尽。惟愿你亲手拯救我们！上主！求你援助我这孤苦无告的人，除你以外，我没有别的依靠。”
Reading 1
A reading from the Book of 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.”
福音
恭读圣玛窦福音 7:7-12
那时候，耶稣向门徒说：“你们求，必要给你们；你们找，必要找着；你们敲，必要给你们开。因为凡是求的，就必得到；找的，就必找到；敲的，就必给他开。或者，你们中间有那个人，儿子向他求饼，反而给他石头呢？或者求鱼，反而给他蛇呢？你们纵然不善，尚且知道把好的东西给你们的儿女，何况你们在天之父，岂不更将好的赐与求他的人？
“所以，凡你们愿意人给你们做的，你们也要照样给人做：法律和先知即在于此。”
Gospel
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to 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.”