Tears

At work yesterday, I felt the tears welling up in my eyes.  A priest and nun who I have interacted with a few times in the past stopped me in the hall as I was exiting a patient's room at the hospital. They remember me as the one from Princeton. I told Fr Bill that I heard he had a significant anniversary recently. I sheepishly told them that I hadn't been down to the chapel for Mass on Sundays because we were often short-handed and that I don't feel like I could do that to my staff. Talk of church began naturally.

The nun began rifling through her purse looking for a prayer card she wanted to give to me from Fr Bill's anniversary Mass. I noticed that she was carrying a pyx, or so I thought. I peered into her purse with her and asked if she had any Jesus on her.  She indicated that what she had in her hand was actually oil for the Anointing of the Sick. Blessed are those who were anointed, but boo hoo for me who was only wanting some Jesus.

She and Fr Bill asked me what my work schedule was. I told them that I was the weekend charge from Friday to Sunday and the long hours of which I work. Sister asked me to go down with her so I could have some Jesus right then, but I again had to refuse because we didn't even have a secretary. They offered to bring Communion to me next Sunday though. In fact, Sister offered that her own sister distributes Communion and that she could come by on Fridays so that I may have that precious Sacrament. I fought to hold the tears back that were flooding my eyes. I shared that it had been such a long time since I last received Communion. I was overcome with gratitude.

I had very recently been longing for Mass especially Communion, mentioning it as I quietly pray. God heard my simple prayer.