for October 1: Esther 7.1-6, 9-10; 9.20-22

The king and Haman were dining with Esther and drinking wine during the second dinner, when the king again said, "Esther, what can I do for you? Just ask, and I will give you as much as half of my kingdom!"

Esther answered, " Your Majesty, if you really care for me and are willing to help, you can save me and my people. That's what I really want, because a reward has been promised to anyone who kills my people. Your Majesty, if we were merely going to be sold as slaves, I would not have bothered you."

"Who would dare to do such a thing?" the king asked.

Esther replied, "That evil Haman is the one out to get us!"

Haman was terrified, as he looked at the king and the queen.
...
Then Harbona, one of the king's personal servants, said, "Your Majesty, Haman built a tower seventy-five feet high beside his house, so he could hang Mordecai on it. And Mordecai is the very one who spoke up and saved your life."

"Hang Haman from his own tower!" the king commanded. Right away, Haman was hanged on the tower he had built to hang Mordecai, and the king calmed down.
...
Mordecai wrote down everything that had happened. Then he sent letters to the Jews everywhere in the provinces and told them:

"Each year you must celebrate on both the fourteenth and the fifteenth of Adar, the days when we Jews defeated our enemies. Remember this month as a time when our sorrow was turned to joy, and celebration took the place of crying. Celebrate by having parties and by giving to the poor and by sharing gifts of food with each other."

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Granted this selection needs some clarfication and context, what feelings, thoughts and prompts to personal action does this reading raise for you? Share your responses as Comments or in an email.