A strange thing happened at Mass

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jabronie
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

Jabronie

Guest
Something very weird happened to me at Mass this weekend.

I went to a Saturday evening Mass downtown. During the closing hymn, just before the priest left the altar, an older African-American man with a walking stick entered the building. He walked all the way up the aisle, then stood off to the right in front of the first row of pews. He stood there and waited until the song ended and the priest left and people started to exit the building. I was sitting toward the middle at the center aisle position. I was kneeling in prayer after Mass, but as more people left, I realized that the man was staring a me. I didn’t know what to do, so I just ignored him and kept praying. The church was still probably about ten percent full at this point. Soon, through the corner of my eye, I saw him walk to the center aisle. Right next to me.

At this point, I was getting kind of frustrated, but I figured maybe he was leaving and just taking his time. Maybe he thought Mass started a hour earlier or something. So I closed my eyes and said a few Hail Mary’s. After a few minutes, I made a sign of the cross and began standing up. Then the guy came right up to me. I was getting ready to say “Sorry, I don’t have any money” but before I said anything, he put his hand on my shoulder and said “God has blessed you.” Then he turned around and walked out of the church.

I just kind of stood there dumbfounded for a second and went out the side door.

I have no idea what to make of this, but who knows, maybe it was some sort of sign…
 
Well!!! That IS very neat, and amazing the way God used that old man for your benefit. He was obviously having a orugh way to go delivering the message, even for private revelation.
 
Keep us up to date…

Could be:
pregnant member of the family, vocation in the family… won the lottery and don’t know it yet ( I am your brother, but mom never told you - lets be friends).

Or maybe you really looked at peace.
 
I was at church once lighting some candles, and an old man came out of what seemed like nowhere and said “Jesus loves you very much.” I was, and still am, somewhat puzzled, but grateful.
 
Old man…or angel?

“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2) :angel1:
 
40.png
tjmiller:
Old man…or angel?

“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2) :angel1:
Click to expand...
I’m voting for ANGEL! 🙂
 
OH MAN!! that’s incredible!!! i love it when God works through people like that!
 
Here’s another thought, you can take it with the grain of salt…

…maybe he was wandering into a Catholic church (whether he was Catholic or not) because he felt a sense of peace and maybe even the Presence of the Lord. You were engaged in prayer and obviously had just finished receiving our Lord’s Body and Blood.

I think you were a “witness” to him and possibly a comfort on a spiritual level. You never know what spiritual struggle he may have been going through, and possibly God used you to bring comfort to him. I repeat what he said, “God has blessed you.” In other words, God used you to bring him spiritual comfort.

Yes, you are blessed. Praise the Lord that he uses all of us in our simplicity to comfort His people.
 
I’m just reaaalllly glad you didn’t get a chance to say what was on your mind! 😃
 
reminds me of time I served a few hours each week at local soup kitchen back in Ohio, there was always a very scruffy man who came in just for coffee and a donut each morning, sat by himself, looked like he had slept in a dumpster, beard, ragged clothes, did not talk much. Because he kind of scared me I tried extra hard to be polite and welcoming to him (trying to get over some of my prejudices). Nun who ran the center came back from her vacation, told me who he was, local priest, very holy, great reputation for his work with the poor (this was a very depressed locality, a real mission territory), and responsible for personally getting most of the contributions that kept us up and running. Sure glad I was nice to him. Since found out that everyone in the county knows him and loves him.

we always stop in the Cathedral in Baton Rouge for Mass on our way down here, St Joseph?, and they serve coffee and donuts after Mass in the parish hall, Evidently street people wait for it, and are welcomed graciously, along with parishioners, and it is lovely to see how they are served and made welcome. Well anyhow this “bag lady” sits down and starts talking to my husband, and like alway he is very polite to her, as he always is, although I was a bit impatient and wanted to get going. He got her more coffee, and they had sandwiches for “take out” for street people, guess so they would have another meal that day. WE felt funny serving, not our parish, but nobody seemed to mind. Turns out she was the nun who runs nearby community center. Just shows to go you, don’t judge by appearances.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top