City break🌟

‘In the intimacy of prayer, God is revealed to us as the One who loves all the members of the human family just as personally and uniquely as God loves us’.(Henri Nouwen)

Bus into the city first thing this morning. Driver blaring classic hits for duration of journey, upbeat and joyful. Disembarking, I thanked him for the music and offered my prayer. ‘I will take it. This morning I need a prayer’, he replied.

No morning Holy Mass in St. Peter and Pauls Church, disappointing but always happy to spend time in that oasis of peace situated where it is, amidst the madding crowd.

On sidewalk, elderly gentleman playing tin whistle, I placed my prayer and widow’s mite in basket at his feet. He lives at the top of a hill he told me and every day he comes into the city to play his tunes. Couragous happy guy doing what he loves, copper fastening my resolve to keep on doing what I love too. Be yourself! Everyone else is taken!

Young girl, (same age as my youngest son), thirty days free from heroin. She read my prayer and told me that: ‘things are beginning to work out for her’. As I walked away she called after me: ‘Why did you choose to stop and chat’. My reply: ‘Jesus loves you and He wants the very best for you’. I will be never forget her delight…

Lady fixing up her pretty garden thrilled to receive my prayer. ‘I wasn’t meant to be out here at all. Today you’ve really hit your people’, she uttered, close to tears.

Wonderful chat with elderly gentleman painting his garden wall. Cornucopia of tall tales and wisdom.

Precious time with beautiful Jesus in compact Adoration Chapel. Rest and renewal extraordinaire.

Lunch in Dunnes Stores cafe. Shared prayers with two elderly ladies -‘friends for donkeys years’, in their own words. Wonderful encounter. Friendship like theirs extremely heartwarming.

Waiting on return bus, young lady crying hysterically, (tears of bad decisions running down her face😌) told lady next to me that she can take no more of her terrible life and is about to jump in the river. No, she did not want a prayer, she told me angrily. Somehow, by the glorious Grace of God, she did not succeed today, although she tried. Dramatic and distressing for all. Poor beleaguered lady.

Loved my city break. Different city next time……..

‘Therefore, a growing intimacy with God deepens our sense of responsibility for others. It evokes in us an always increasing desire to bring the whole world with all it’s suffering and pains around the divine fire in our heart and to share the revitalising heat with all who want to come’.                                                 (Henri J.M. Nouwen/Compassion)