A Random Lesson from God
by Mary Ann Halloran
Earlier this week, I stopped at the gas station one evening to fill the car with gas. I was feeling a little frustrated and impatient at the time. There was a lady I had never seen before pumping gas at the same pump but on the other side. I smiled at her and said hello. She said hello back and the following is our dialogue after that. I will name her Susan since I have no idea what her name was.
Susan: Gas prices have gone way up.
Me: Yes, they certainly have.
Susan: But we need to be grateful and not complain.
Me: You're right; we're not in a hurricane.
Susan: Yes, our home is not flooded.
Me: And we have power (electricity).
Susan: (Quite animated now) Yes, and we have our family and health!
Me: Yes, we do, and it's such a gorgeous evening tonight (the sun was setting).
Susan: We have a lot to be grateful for.
Me: We sure do.
Then we said goodbye as she got in her car and drove off. Notice the word “God” was never even spoken.
As I drove off, I said out loud to God, “Wow, that was something! You sent her to draw me into a spirit of gratitude.” So I spent the next minutes continuing to thank God for things. Then I began to pray for all the hurricane victims and all those who are suffering in the world, asking for God's mercy for them.
Later I thought, “What spirit do I give to people I meet?” In a matter of about 2 minutes, Susan led me into prayer. This random conversation at the gas pump with someone I had never met changed my whole mood and outlook and set me in a new direction—toward God and gratitude rather than toward my silly, negative thoughts.
Thank you, Jesus, for sending me Susan. It was what I needed and a good lesson.
Pass it on!
Mary Ann / Mother Hen
Some people are just like that. I have a dear friend Titi, who goes around evangelizing people, before you know it she is leading them to the Lord. To this day she is the person that drew me closer to the Lord speaking to me about things I had never heard of like ancestors’ sins. Through several conversations with her and others I heard the same message “we need to pray for the sins of our ancestors”. This is how I came one Wednesday to “Las Alas”, I thank the Lord for this great blessing, for encountering Our Lord through Father Thomas’ guidance, thankful for you and Ellen. So thankful for your posts still touching my life. Praise God . Praying all the time for the souls in purgatory. Does any priest ever say a mass for forgiveness for ancestor’s? Sure miss that, it has been ages.