I am reminded of a story from a priest whom a mother contacted about her son who was in a similar situation. The mother begged him to talk to the son, and he finally agreed. The son was about 17, if I recall properly, and totally lost. The priest asked him, “Son, what can I do for you?” The young smart alec said, “Not a thing.” The priest asked another question or two, got smart alec answers and no cooperation, then told the young man, “Well, I’m going to pray for you, then.” The young man looked at the priest with a smirk and said, “Yeah, pray for what?” The priest looked him in the eye and said, “That God comes down and kicks your butt!” The young man looked astonished and walked out.
About a week or so later, the priest got a frantic phone call from the young man’s mom, 'Father! You need to come to the hospital please and visit my son! He’s has been in a terrible accident! He’s broken both arms and legs, and fractured his skull!" The priest smiled to himself and said, “Certainly, I’ll be there.” When the priest walked in, the young man was already in traction, with casts on both arms and legs, and one on his head. All he could see was his eyes through the holes in the one on his head. The priest said he didn’t say anything. He just walked up to the bed, looked at the young man, and smiled. Then, he left. He visited him frequently after that, instructing the young man on what he should know, etc. The young man today is supposedly a very faithful young Catholic man!
God sometimes works in mysterious ways.
