God's Very Mysterious Ways

[Martlet]

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?

 

[Timaca]

I'll think on that question. In the meantime, it is awesome how you were willing to follow the Holy Spirit. May God bless your obedience!
Best, Timaca

 

[Esther12]

I saw this thread and thought: "Given the religious tensions in India at the moment, is American money funding more Catholic priests really a great thing?" I decided not to post though, as it seemed a slightly churlish addition. Then, within half an hour, I'd entriely coincidentaly stumbled upon an article arguing that American Christians were causing a lot of damage in developing countries by funding the spread of their own religious doctrines - it had been linked to from The Daily Dish, a poltics blog run by a Catholic. It was clearly a message from God: He does not want you to send this money!

 

[Timaca]

Ok, after giving it some thought, here is how God led me to do something that I had not been contemplating. I was initially diagnosed with Lyme disease (after a year and a half and many doctors not knowing why I was so ill). I was pursuing treatment for that and learning what I could about Lyme and other tick borne diseases. I receive emails in my inbox on articles that may interest Lyme patients. One of those articles was about an ID doctor who was treating CFS with antiviral drugs and many were getting well. One man had been quite ill for 18 years and was now backpacking with his kids. That article stayed with me for I used to backpack with my kids....and I could not do it any longer....and I missed it terribly.

A couple of months later, my husband went to lunch with a gentleman who wanted to buy some land that we owned with another couple. That man was the one who had been ill for 18 years and was now well! (He is also a strong Christian.) He suggested that I and the wife of the other couple (who was also quite ill) get tested for certain viruses. We were tested, and found to likely be infected, so we sought treatment. We are both much better for having done so.

So....I definitely didn't have viruses on my radar screen, but God led me to consider them. That man could have been any adult male in the entire USA, and he happened to live in my hometown, and bought land from me and 3 other people....two of the people were as sick as he used to be.

When I ended up in his doctor's office (which was out of state), and explained how I came to be sitting in that doctor's office.....that doctor leaned back in his chair and said "That is a miracle." Yes it truly was a miracle.

Best, Timaca

 

[Knackered]

India is in the northern hemisphere.

 

[Martlet]

Esther ... This was an Indian asking for funds for Indians. If Indians want to be priests in India, then I will support them. If the Apostles had taken your advice, Christianity would have died out in Jerusalem. In fact, Jesus would have halted his ministry at the first sign of discord. But then - contrary to what some want to believe - he did not come to bring earthly peace. He said:

Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. For I have come to set a man 'against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one's enemies will be those of his household.' "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matt:10 34-39

 

[Martlet]

Timaca

Thanks for sharing that story. I've had a bit of a "down" week, with a lot going on and it really cheered me up.

 

[Timaca]

Glad it helped you Martlet. God seems to encourage us when we need it. Hope this week is better for you.
Timaca

 

[Martlet]

This week is much better, thanks. Had a wonderful Easter.

I realised that I had written that first post the day we met the priest from India and didn't follow up with the rest of the story, because there was indeed a post-script. In addition to the sponsorship, they'd had a special collection to help fund the seminarians. I'd whispered to my husband, "May I have your wallet for a moment?" He wore a resigned smile that suggested he knew he was about to be robbed, but handed it over. I removed $40, smiled and handed the wallet back.

Next day, when the mail came, there was a cheque (check) for $400 plus some change - from an insurance claim for travel interruption last November, when I had been too sick to fly back from Florida. We'd been expecting half that. Anyway, evening came and we went to an auction where there were around a hundred of those Precious Moments figurines. I'm not a fan of them, but as we were walking by the table, I picked one up and turned it over. It said, "The Lord has blessed us ten-fold." I showed it to my husband, then with a very irreverent grin, suggested that I withdraw our entire savings and give them to the next special collection to see if He would do it again. Course, I was joking!!!

 

[Timaca]

Glad you had a better week. Your story made me smile. I love it when God lets us know He is there.....

Best, Timaca

 

[Martlet]

He has been doing that a lot at the moment and I can only praise Him for it because there was a long, dry spell that felt like wandering through Death Valley, so arid was it. He certainly expects His kids to be drought-hardy at times!!!