A Funny Affirmation

In an earlier post on Passion, I mentioned of the Eucharistic celebration concelebrated by 8 bishops. At the last part of the celebration, the main presider- archbishop asked all the other bishops and priests to give us the final blessing. I was thinking how blessed I am for so many bishops and priests giving me blessing all at once.

Now, one of the bishops present is actually the bishop in my diocese. I’ve seen him since he had a big picture outside of our church. And just last week when I attended a Saturday noon mass in our parish, I didn’t leave immediately and just stayed in my seat for some silent prayer. I was looking at the cross in the altar but got distracted when a small man with white hair and faded short barong and black body bag passed me by as he approached a popular old lady in the front seat. I’m not really sure who the lady is but I notice that many priests and church people come to her after mass. I was about 3-4 seats away. I thought he seemed familiar and he talked cordially with the popular lady as I tried to go back to my prayer. Then after a while the old man turned towards the door and when he passed me, he stopped and asked me “how are you?” I was surprised when I was sure who he was! He was our bishop and I said, “Okay father,” then he said “Always pray ha!” and added “Pray for priests!” and I told him, “Yes, bishop!” then got his hand and kissed (actually it was more a hand bless “mano” than a kiss) on his ring. I thought it was a bit funny that he would approach me and tell me that because earlier at the mass just before consecration when the priest was praying for the living then the dead, he made an introduction to each… he started by saying “let us pray for the priests” and he said the prayer starting with the prayer for the pope then down the line. And when he said this I immediately thought that there were not many people praying for the priests and they sure need our prayers especially with the different scandals going on right now…

And now, the bishop affirmed my thought earlier. I should continue praying for priests!

I said earlier that it was funny, I do not mean it being a laughing matter but that God could be funny in showing me stuff… in affirming things… in answering my questions and concerns… in protecting me… in unexpected ways. And such thought certainly made me smile.