When the moon was full two weeks ago, it was Purim. On the weekend before Purim I read the book of Esther once again. It is said that the Blessed Virgin Mary can be seen as the “new Esther“ interceding for her people and saving them from peril. Having pored over the story this time, I begin thinking: Is not Saint Joseph sort of a “new Mordecai“?
Two versions of masculinity and of fatherhood are on display in the book of Esther: Mordecai the Jew versus Haman the Agagite; the real deal versus the fake version; the God-fearing man versus the godless one. And king Ahasuerus seems to be the figure in between, influenced at first more by Haman (and similar men at his court) – yet later in the story growing into a more Joseph-like leader.
The anti-Joseph: Haman
“But Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, who enjoyed high favour with the king, determined to injure Mordecai because of the king‘s two officials.“
Esther Addition A: 1r
Mordecai – “a Jew living in the city of Susa, a great man, holding office at the royal court“, “one of the captives whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had deported from Jerusalem“ (Est Add. A: 1b – 1c) – had warned king Ahasuerus that two of his officers were planning to assassinate him. This led to their execution. Obviously Haman must have been involved in the plot to rob king Ahasuerus of his throne, for Mordecai‘s intervention kindles his anger against him for the first time.
The king though, ruling “over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia“ (Est 1: 1), for a long time remains blind to the behind-the-scenes schemes of Haman, mistaking him for a loyal and trustworthy courtier. He even “(singles) out“ Haman “for promotion“ (Est 3: 1).
“He raised him in rank, granting him precedence over all his colleagues, the other officials, and all the royal officials employed at the Chancellery used to bow low and prostrate themselves whenever Haman appeared – such was the king‘s command.“
Esther 3: 1-2
Mordecai is the only one resisting this command issued by the king. Fearing God more than men he refuses to greet Haman in this way.
“But what I did, I did rather than place human glory above the glory of God; and I will not bow down to anyone but you, Lord (…).“
Esther Addition C: 17e
This leads to Haman‘s anger flaring up and turning to outright hatred – not only for Mordecai but for the whole Jewish nation.
“And, on being told what race Mordecai belonged to, he thought it beneath him merely to get rid of Mordecai, but made up his mind to wipe out all the members of Mordecai‘s race, the Jews, living in Ahasuerus‘ entire empire.“
Esther 3: 6
Haman lets the lot determine the day and the month of their destruction – the 13th day of the month of Adar, the last month of the biblical year before the month of Aviv / Nisan. He then makes his argument before the king why a decree should be issued commanding the destruction of the Jewish people in his entire empire: They are according to Haman, the prototype of an anti-Semite, an “unassimilated nation“ with “laws different from those of all the other nations“ (Est 3: 8), disobedient to the royal laws.
The king – “misled by false arguments of the evilly disposed“ (Est Add. E: 12f) – hands his authority, his signet ring, over to Haman and gives him free reign in this matter. It is quite spine-chilling to read the clever, sophisticated, and utilitarian argumentation of the decree that is then promulgated by Haman‘s hand in the name of the king:
“Being placed in authority over many nations and ruling the whole world, I have resolved never to be carried away by the harshness of power, but always to rule with moderation and gentleness, so as to assure for my subjects a life ever free from storms and offering my kingdom the benefits of civilisation and free transit from one end to the other, to restore that peace desired by all people. When I asked the advice of my counsellors how this aim might be effected, we were informed by one of them, eminent among us for prudence and well proved for his unfailing devotion and steadfast loyalty, and in rank second only to our majesty, Haman by name, that there is, mingled among all the tribes of the earth a certain hostile people, opposed by its laws to every other nation and continually defying the royal ordinances, in such a way as to obstruct that form of government directed by us to the general good.“
Esther Addition B: 13b – 13d
The decree continues to “charge“ the Jewish nation with being “in complete opposition to all humanity, from which it differs by its outlandish system of laws“ and slanders them to be “hostile to (the empire’s) interests“ and committing “the most heinous crimes, to the point of endangering the stability of the kingdom“ (Est Add. B: 13e).
Thus, in the name of “the general good“ the destruction of the Jewish people is called for, and Haman makes sure to let himself be designated “a second father“ for the peoples of the empire – “appointed to watch over (their) interests“ (Est Add. B: 13f).
Haman, this prideful, boastful, greedy, envious, and intrigant usurper, burning with hatred for the Jewish people, a man “far removed from (…) goodness“ (Est Add. E: 12k), is anything but a caring father for others and all too well an example of masculinity gone astray: He uses all his gifts, talents, intelligence, power, authority, and influence to promote no-one else but himself – “unable to restrain his ambition“ (Est Add. E: 12m) he aims to destroy others whenever it benefits him.
But real masculinity and fatherhood is all about benevolently and generously using one’s power and authority to protect others and care for their well-being, especially when it comes to the weak and vulnerable – even when it costs you.
Mordecai, and the power of his prayer
The real man and the real father figure in the story is the God-fearing Mordecai “of the tribe of Benjamin“ (Est 2: 5). When the young Hadassah – Esther – lost her parents, Mordecai, a nephew of her father, took her under his wings, “adopted her as his daughter“ (Est 2: 7).
She still follows his instructions, his prudent advice while already living in the harem of king Ahasuerus and even while already being queen – and “Mordecai walked up and down in front of the courtyard of the harem every day, to learn how Esther was and how she was being treated“ (Est 2: 11).
His loyalty to the king of the empire is real and unfeigned which is why he brings assassination plots to the king‘s attention. Yet submission to the king does not compromise his faithfulness to the living God. Whenever the king‘s decrees contradict the commandments of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Mordecai courageously holds on to the latter.
His faith in the God of his people is strong, deep, and unwavering, evident when he tells Esther after the fateful decree calling for the destruction of the Jews has been published that surely “relief and deliverance will come to the Jews“ (Est 4: 14) – for “everything is subject to (the Lord‘s) power“ and “there is no one who can withstand (the Lord) in (his) will to save Israel“ (Est Add. C: 17b). Tearing his garments and putting on “sackcloth and ashes“ (Est 4: 1) he implores the Lord his God to save his people, humbling himself in passionate intercession for the whole nation.
“And now, Lord God, King, God of Abraham, spare your people! For some are seeking your ruin, planning to destroy your ancient heritage. Do not neglect your inheritance which you redeemed for yourself from the land of Egypt. Hear my prayer, have mercy on your heritage, and turn our grief into rejoicing, that we may live to hymn your name, O Lord.“
Esther Addition C: 17f – 17h
Mordecai‘s prayer – along with Esther‘s and the whole nation‘s cry up to God – is powerful and effective.
When Esther enters the royal throne room of king Ahasuerus to request the salvation of her people, “her heart (shrinks) with fear“ (Est Add. D: 1b). She is afraid that the king might utterly reject her presence because she has not been summoned by him for a long time already. She might be put to death for this breach. The leader of the empire who promoted Haman to be his right hand and let him conduct his evil schemes, lending his signet ring to them, sits on his throne, and when he “(looks) up, afire with majesty and, blazing with anger, (sees) her“, Esther “(sinks) to the floor“ fainting (Est Add. D: 1d).
But suddenly, as the king beholds the beautiful Esther who has appeared before him “dressed (…) in her full splendour“ (Est 5: 1) and whom he “liked better than any of the other women“ (Est 2: 17) in this weak and frightened state, a change of heart occurs. A change of heart, effected by God as an answer to Mordecai’s intercessory prayer, that makes king Ahasuerus more of a Mordecai-like, Joseph-like man – and less of a man following after Haman.
“But God changed the king‘s heart, inducing a milder spirit. He sprang from his throne in alarm and took her in his arms until she recovered, comforting her with soothing words, saying, ‘What is the matter, Esther? I am your brother: Take heart, you are not going to die; our order applies only to ordinary people. Come to me.‘ And taking his golden sceptre he laid it on her neck, embraced her and said, ‘Speak to me.‘“
Esther Addition D: 1e – 1f; Esther 5: 2
Esther’s courage, which she found in prayer and fasting, and king Ahasuerus’ mildness, induced by the grace of God drawn down thanks to Mordecai’s and Esther’s intercessory prayers, come into fusion at this turning point of the story, and in the battle between good and evil, between Mordecai and Haman, the Jew and the Agagite, the former prevails.
Saint Joseph, the “new Mordecai“
If Mordecai’s prayer of faith, hope, and charity was able to turn the fate of his people around, how much more powerful is the prayer of the spouse of the Immaculate Virgin who was deemed worthy to fatherly raise the Messiah, the Son of God?
Isn’t it true of St Joseph, patron of the universal Church, what was said of Mordecai in the Purim story – that he is “our saviour and constant benefactor“ (Est Add. E: 12n), a man “esteemed by his numerous kinsfolk“ who “(seeks) the good of his people and (cares) for the welfare of his entire race“ (Est 10: 3)?
Are not all the virtues one can find in Mordecai – faith, hope, charity, humility, courage, fatherliness – in a ten times more purely and splendidly fashion the virtues of the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary?
Is not St Joseph “a power in the palace“ of God, and even “steadily growing more powerful“ (Est 9: 4)? Isn‘t he called “terror of demons“ while Mordecai was, so to speak, the “terror of Haman“ who schemed the destruction of his people?
Isn‘t it a tradition both on the feast days of Purim, often celebrated in March in case the last full moon of the biblical year falls into that month, and on St Joseph‘s feast day on the 19th of March to “make gifts to the poor“ (Est 9: 22)? Is not St Joseph‘s feast day always taking place during Lent, the season of “ordinances for fasts and lamentations“ (Est 9: 31)?
“Mordecai left the royal presence in a princely gown of violet and white, with a great golden crown and a cloak of fine linen and purple. The city of Susa shouted for joy. For the Jews there was light and gladness, joy and honour.“
Esther 8: 15
“Letters were sent to all the Jews (…) ordering them to observe these days of Purim at the appointed time, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had prescribed for themselves and their descendants (…).“
Esther 9: 30-31
“That God may be more favourable to Our prayers, and that He may come with bounty and promptitude to the aid of His Church, We judge it of deep utility for the Christian people, continually to invoke with great piety and trust, together with the Virgin-Mother of God, her chaste Spouse, the Blessed Joseph; and We regard it as most certain that this will be most pleasing to the Virgin herself. (…) In those lands where the 19th of March – the Feast of St Joseph – is not a Festival of Obligation, We exhort the faithful to sanctify it as far as possible by private pious practices, in honour of their heavenly patron, as though it were a day of Obligation.“
Quamquam pluris, encyclical of Pope Leo XIII (15th Aug 1889)
St Joseph, son of David and patron of the universal Church, pray for us!
