ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 PULELULU SEPITEMA 6

CASTING LOTS

Talo Talo

ESTHER 9:24-26

HAMAN THE AGAGITE, THE SON OF HAMMEDATHA, THE ENEMY OF ALL THE JEWS, HAD PLOTTED AGAINST THE JEWS TO DESTROY THEM, AND HAD CAST PUR (THAT IS, CAST LOTS). TO CRUSH AND TO DESTROY THEM. BUT WHEN IT CAME BEFORE THE KING, HE GAVE ORDERS IN WRITING THAT HIS EVIL PLAN THAT HE HAD DEVISED AGAINST THE JEWS SHOULD RETURN ON HIS OWN HEAD, AND THAT HE AND HIS SONS SHOULD BE HANGED ON THE GALLOWS. THEREFORE THEY CALLED THESE DAYS PURIM, AFTER THE TERM PUR.

‘ESETA 9:24-26

24 koe‘uhi ko Hāmani foha ‘o Hametata, ko e motu‘a ‘Ēkaki, ko e fili ‘o e kau Siu kotoa, kuo ne puleaki‘i ‘a e kakai Siu honau faka‘osi, pea kuo ne fai puli (‘a ia ko e talotalo) ke faka‘osi mo faka‘auha kinautolu; 25 ka ‘i he ‘omi ‘a e me‘a ki he ‘ao ‘o e tu‘i, na‘a ne folofola mo fai tohi ke foki ki hono tumu‘aki ‘o‘ona ‘a e fakakaukau kovi kuo ne puleaki‘i ke fai ki he kakai Siu, pea ke fakatūfana‘i ‘a ia mo hono ngaahi foha. 26 (‘A ē ā na‘a nau ui ai ‘a e ongo ‘aho ko ia ko Pūlimi, ko e hingoa ki he lea puli.) ‘Io, ko e me‘a ‘i he ngaahi lea ‘o e tohi ko ia, mo e me‘a kuo nau sio ki ai kuo pehē fau, mo e me‘a kuo nau ta‘imālie ai

[LILIU FAKA-TONGA]

Ko e tangata fa’u tohi ko Tokini (The Lord of the Rings) na’a ne fatu ‘a e fo’i lea ko e, “‘eukatasitofe”. Ko e katasitofe, ko ha faingata’a fakalilifu. Ka ‘i hono fakapipiki ki ai ‘a e “eu” (“lelei” ‘i he faka-Kalisi ) ‘oku ne fakatafoki ‘a e kovi ki he lelei.  ‘Oku fonu ‘a e Tohitapu ‘i he ngaahi ‘eukatasitofe, pea ko e talanoa ‘o ‘Eseta ‘oku ‘i he tumutumu. Ko  Hāmani, “ko e fili ‘o e kau Siu kotoa”, na’a ne fai “pulimi” (lea faka-Papilone ki he fai talotalo) ke fakahoko’aki ‘ene palani ke faka’auha e kakai Siu. Ka ‘i he palovitenisi ‘a e ‘Otua, na’a ne fakafehalaaki’i ‘a e fa’ufa’u ‘a Hamani. Na’e iku ‘o fakatūfana‘i pe ia ‘i he ‘akau tautau na’a ne teuteu kia Motekiai, pea na’e faka’ataa ki he kau Siu ke nau malu’i kinautolu mei honau ngaahi fili.  ‘Io, ko e ‘Eukatasitofe mo’oni ‘aupito pe eni!

Ko e talanoa ko eni, ko e puipuitu’a ia ‘o e katoanga ‘a e kau Siu ‘oku ‘iloa ko e Pulimi. Ko e taha pe eni ‘i he ngaahi fakataataa ‘o e ngaahi fakatafoki faka-’Otua ‘i he Tohitapu, pea fanaafotu ai ‘a e ‘eukatasitofe ‘o e Toetu’u!

Ke ‘A’au kotoa ‘a e langilangi, Sisu ko homau ‘Eiki, ‘i ho’o fengaue’aki ‘a e me’a kotoa ma’ae lelei ‘a kinautolu ‘oku ‘ofa kiate Koe.

[ENGLISH]

J. R. R. Tolkien, of The Lord of the Rings fame, coined the word "eucatastrophe" to describe a sudden turn of events in which an impending catastrophe became something good (eu is Greek for "good"). In a Bible full of eucatastrophes, Esther's story ranks near the top. Haman, "enemy of all the Jews," had cast purim (a Babylonian word for

"lots") to determine when to initiate a pogrom against the Jews. God, however, in his providence, upended Haman's plan. He was hanged on the very gallows he had constructed for Mordecai, and the Jews were allowed to defend themselves from their adversaries. A eucatastrophe indeed!

This story forms the narrative of the Jewish festival of Purim. It is but one example in the long list of divine turnarounds, the greatest of which is the eucatastrophe of Easter.

All glory to you, Jesus our Lord, for causing all things to work together for

the good for those who love you.