Guardian angels give ordinary directions too!

I was on my way back from mass in Helsinki back to my hotel (which is not in Helsinki but in a nearby town accessible by buses) in the freezing cold winter here and when I arrived to my transfer bus stop (on the highway in the darkness of 8pm Finland) was when I noticed that my bus was not due to arrive for another 1.5 hrs. This was the point where I complained to God and my guardian angels saying 'I have just done a good thing here, can't you help me out to get back to my hotel?'. It wasn't an easy thing to get to mass in the first place! It was terribly inconvenient, but I did it and I thought I did this for God! See how good I am, help me out here.

Then it got real. Nope I didn't do it for God. I did it for me because I need mass. God doesn't need mass. He's perfect. He doesn't need my prayers. He doesn't need me to worship him. I do. I need to be surrounded by other sinners just like me who are reaching for him. I need to see their faith. I need to reach out to him in prayer. I need prayer, I need His presence more than I need air. So if I examine it completely, I need Him way more than he needs my measly prayers.

One thing I love about going to international english masses is that it feels very apostolic. It was crowded with people from all over, people who are trying their best, people who don't really know 'is this for real?' and people who have a full realization that there is only one God, and he became man and died for me and this same God invites me, who nailed him to the cross with my sins to eat at his table. This is a God of generosity, a God of love and a God who loves me, crankiness and all so my response should be joy! That's it! Joy for me this lenten season. How's that for lent?

So to finish my frozen story. There I was at the bus stop with my frozen apendages thinking a taxi sure would be good right about now. So I turned around, walked back into town, hoping to find a hotel. Instead I found a gas station and no sooner do I see the gas station then I see a taxi for hire pull in.

Thanks for the taxi guys! It didn't need to be a Mercedes but I did get the message. Our God is a generous God. Thanks be to God!