Trusting in God's Plans

It happened again last night.

I had a couple of drinks “to help me nap before my late-night adoration hours”.  I awoke to the alarm --- again --- and realized it had gone off a few times.  I had ignored it, in a drink-induced haze.

I was late.

I raised myself and quickly headed out, stopping at the 7-11 for coffee to rouse my brain, and headed out on the 20-minute drive to the chapel.  If I knew Kelly’s phone number (who was waiting in the chapel), I would have called or texted him that I was late.  I made up excuses as I drove.  And when I arrived at the chapel --- 15 minutes late --- I walked in to make my excuses to him … and saw the woman there, alone.

I didn’t know her.  After a few moments, I made excuses for my late arrival, and she said that it was okay.  She had enjoyed the time alone with Jesus, in the quiet of the late night, just He and her, alone.

And then she thanked me “for the beautiful prayer card” I had given her (I did???).  I knew immediately, however, the prayer card which she had referenced; I had felt compelled on more than one occasion (or perhaps once a year) to give it to strangers in the church.  It was Padre Pio’s Prayer After Holy Communion, but I didn’t remember giving it to her, this stranger.

Then I told the woman that this occasion reminded me of a similar event a few months before, when I had again arrived late (--- not a usual event, really!!), on a different night at a different chapel, for my late-night hours there.  Then I also had plans to apologize for my lateness and was surprised to see a strange woman, alone, in that chapel --- as tonight.  And she too had told me how we had met one day prior and I had explained to her how wonderful it was to sit with Jesus, alone, in the late-night hours I had in the adoration chapel (I later found out this woman was a new arrival to the Catholic faith).  And during the full hour I was late then, she said she had had a wonderful, glorious time with Jesus, even singing aloud to Him in their quiet time together.  And she thanked me ---- for being late. 

And then (as tonight) I didn’t remember anything of our previous conversations she had referenced.

I think if we are open to God’s plans, and His words, there are lots of occasions where He uses us to speak to others and, like tonight, we may not even take note of the event.  But that’s okay; it’s His plans.  We needn’t even be aware.  We are only instruments.

I told Jesus thanks as I said my rosary in the chapel, and prayed for the strangers He puts in my life, for His reasons.  I only pray I do my small part in His plans, and I trust He will bring about His good results.  And I have great confidence they are probably much better than my plans --- which, like tonight, often include my sleeping through them.

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From one point of view, I guess this is a reminder that when we fail to do our part, He’ll pick up the slack.  Trust in Him!  And it’s also a reminder of the great value, the often unknown value, of spending time alone with Him in adoration.  Twice now, even in my stupidity, I have facilitated strangers being alone with Him, and they were positively thrilled with the experience.  Imagine how many people I could love in a similar positive way if I deliberately encouraged them to spend time alone with Him in the chapel.