By Fr. Thomas G. Weinandy, OFM, Cap., The Catholic Thing - Throughout the Old Testament, when evil befell the Israelites, they consistently interpreted their sorry plight as God’s righteous punishment for their sins. Three examples readily come to mind… First, when the chief prince, Haman, convinced the Persian king, Ahasuerus, to destroy the Jews, Queen Esther – who was Jewish – besought the Lord to deliver her exiled people from the evil that had come upon them. In fasting, Esther prayed …..