I was able to attend my Tuesday morning prayer and discussion group this morning. So happy about that. When the boys were out of school during the summer, I had to forgo the discussion group, and this was actually only the second time that I have been able to participate since school started back up. It was great to be there.
This morning at Mass, the gospel reading was about Jesus raising from the dead the son of the widow from Nain. Even though Fr. B's homily only took a few minutes (this is generally the case for a weekday Mass), he provided some spiritual food which I have thought about much today. In the account, Jesus and his followers met the funeral procession at the gate of the city. Fr. B mentioned that the way it was written, you could almost read it to say that Jesus "just happened" to be there, and "just happened" to see the procession and learn that this was the widow's only son and decided then and there to help her out. Of course, Jesus knew what he was about. Things don't take God by surprise. He went there in order to raise the man. I know God is in the details, but I had never thought about it before that Jesus went there to Nain on purpose. I love the image of Jesus walking to Nain with the intent of raising the dead man and comforting his mother. He went there on purpose, so it wasn't "out of his way" per se, but I wonder what his followers thought. Did they give it any thought at the time? Were they thinking: "Where are we going? Are we just wandering around or is there some kind of purpose? What are we doing going to this city?" Did it occur to them as soon as the man was raised that Jesus was traveling there on purpose or did they have an aha moment much much later?
I wonder if there was anyone in the group that was petitioning and pestering our Lord to go to another place. "It's a better road over this way. Much safer for travelers. The accomodations are better in the city over there. The food is better. I have relatives there, and they'll provide us excellent hospitality. We won't have to walk as far." etc etc etc. Someone logical. Someone opinionated. Someone used to coming up with plans and solving problems and doing a lot of nudging. Someone that might engage in some eye rolling and jaw clenching when her ideas are not accepted.
Someone like me.
I can just imagine Jesus' face, listening patiently with a little bit of a smile. I can imagine him thinking "I love your enthusiasm, Kiddo, but I got this."
And then he goes and raises the man from the dead.
Yeah, that beats better food and a safer road.
I feel like I have to learn this lesson over and over again. Like Jesus' steps to Nain were on purpose, God also has a direction for me. A plan for me. Work that he has for me to do. Not just random assignments that anyone could do, but work specifically for me. Work that I have been designed for and prepared for, work where I can do the most good and also which will bring me the most joy.
Yet I am stubborn, and I still rebel when the car in front of me has a driver that insists on texting at the stop light, only to use so much time that I miss the light. I still grumble when the printer is out of paper, and I have to make a special trip to the store, and miss out on the efficiency of getting something else on my to-do list accomplished. But in all those run arounds and inefficiencies, did I end up in a place I hadn't expected at a time I hadn't expected and doing something much more important?
I have much to learn.