Divine Encounter
 
Have you had a Divine Encounter recently?  Has the Lord put Himself in your path disguised as a person in need?  The Scriptures are full of incidents where people are visited by angels and the Lord teaches us in Matthew 25:20 that when we do something for the least of His children, we do it for Him.  He gives us examples of how He went out of His way to seek and reach out to those in need and gives us the charge to do the same.  Recently my husband and I went to visit our son and his family in Ohio and the Lord saw fit to give us a Divine Encounter with a stranger.   
Due to our plane schedule Sunday we went to Mass early without our family.  After Mass I wanted a quick cup of coffee, even though we were hurrying to get back to them quickly, so we stopped at a coffee shop on the way back to their house.  I was wearing my purple hat, cape, and gloves in the freezing cold and there was a “Red Hat” lady in the shop who noticed me and complimented my purple accessories.  We then began a conversation about our love for the color purple.  These ladies belong to the Red Hat Society, a global society of women that supports and encourages women in their pursuit of fun, friendship, freedom, fulfillment, and fitness.
 As we were leaving she followed us and stopped outside to comment on the coffee shop.  She then began sharing with us that she had been in a group of Christian women the day before, her sweet daughter Cheryl’s birthday.  And we were shocked to learn that Cheryl had been murdered the year before.  My heart sank at this news and I began perking up my spiritual ears even higher – Lord, be with us here. 
 
She said she had written a poem for her daughter and read it to the group yesterday.  But while reading it she became so choked up from crying that she could not finish.  While telling us the story she began to cry again and asked us, “Are you Catholic?”  When we said yes she began to cry harder and talked about how hurt she was that not one woman had even said a word or reached out to touch or comfort her on her murdered daughter’s birthday!  Immediately, without thinking, I reached for her and hugged her – and cried with her.  Then my husband and I both laid hands on her and prayed for her and her precious Cheryl.  We asked forgiveness for the lack of sensitivity and coldness she had experienced from the Body of Christ and we offered her Christ’s loving comfort and that of our Blessed Mother.   Her tears flowed like huge raindrops?
 
Here we were in bitter cold weather outside a Coffee Shop hugging, praying, and comforting a stranger.  It was a true Divine Encounter for us – wanting to get back to our precious family but led by the Spirit instead to comfort another hurting soul.  I share this story with you knowing that you will probably offer your own loving prayers for her and her precious Cheryl.  I’m reminded of Jesus’ encounter with the Woman at the Well, which was no accidental meeting.  For Jesus went out of His way to walk through Samaria – a land his fellow Jews would not set foot in – to give comfort and the gift of Salvation to this hurting soul.  He calls us to follow His example. 
 
Please pray with me – Dearest Father, just as you sent Jesus out of his way into Samaria, you send us out into the world to bring love and comfort to others.  We thank you for Cheryl and her mother – we ask you to continue comforting this mother and to take her into a loving community that will support and help heal her broken heart – and we pray for all mothers who have lost children.  We beg your sensitivity for ourselves to always be ready and willing to reach out to others, no matter where you take us.  Blessed are you, Lord God of all – Holy is Your Name and Holy are Your Ways.  We pray this in the Name of Jesus through the intercession of our Blessed Mother and ask her to deliver our prayers in her Immaculate Hands. 
 
Immaculate Mary, meek and humble of heart, conform our hearts to the Heart of Jesus.  May we be the Hands of Jesus seeking out the lonely, hurting, poor, and dying as He asks.  May we always perk up our spiritual ears to hear Him calling us to Divine Encounters with others.
 
Linda F. Robison – 12-10-11