There is a church not far from us that we don't normally attend because the service (Mass) starts at 10 a.m. and I am definitely not a morning person. Instead, we usually go to an evening Mass about 12 miles away, but not this cold, wet and windy morning. I did try to pull the duvet up around my ears and snuggle back down to sleep, but couldn't, so up I got.
On the way to church - about halfway there - I began to be "convicted" by the Holy Spirit. For the rest of the way, all I could think about was how we are not giving enough money to the Church. Now, this is not something I normally think about. My husband deals with the collection and I never really give it a thought - apart from which, I think a lot of American parishes (around here, anyway) are doing very nicely. Still, the thought would not leave me.
The priest today was from India. A missionary who talked about how St Thomas the Apostle took Christianity to India in around 52 AD and who also talked about there being no shortage of young men eager to become priests - unlike in the N. hemisphere - and that all they are short of is funds. Those who could afford it could, he said, sponsor a new seminarian and fund him all the way through his training to the priesthood. The cost was very cheap. Affordable even though my husband has been out of work for a long while. I felt as if I had been thoroughly prepared to answer that call ...
Anyone else have a story about how God's sometimes strange ways have led them to do something they were not even contemplating?
On the way to church - about halfway there - I began to be "convicted" by the Holy Spirit. For the rest of the way, all I could think about was how we are not giving enough money to the Church. Now, this is not something I normally think about. My husband deals with the collection and I never really give it a thought - apart from which, I think a lot of American parishes (around here, anyway) are doing very nicely. Still, the thought would not leave me.
The priest today was from India. A missionary who talked about how St Thomas the Apostle took Christianity to India in around 52 AD and who also talked about there being no shortage of young men eager to become priests - unlike in the N. hemisphere - and that all they are short of is funds. Those who could afford it could, he said, sponsor a new seminarian and fund him all the way through his training to the priesthood. The cost was very cheap. Affordable even though my husband has been out of work for a long while. I felt as if I had been thoroughly prepared to answer that call ...
Anyone else have a story about how God's sometimes strange ways have led them to do something they were not even contemplating?