"Mary"

A few weeks ago I was on my way home from work. It was a Friday afternoon and it had been a long work week. Typically, I stop at the post office to send information to our director's wife who takes care of our billing. After getting off the exit to the post office I noticed an accident had taken place. One car was resting not too far from the exit ramp. Across the road sitting on the front lawn of an office building was the second vehicle. Folks had already begun attending to the passenger in the car near the exit ramp. However, the other driver had yet to be approached to check on their condition. I felt a prompting from the Spirit not to be like others who tend to gawk, shake their heads, and hope everything works out. So, I pulled my car across the street into the nearby driveway of the office building. Upon approaching the car there was a woman inside crying hysterically and trying to use her cell phone. I tried to open the door but it was locked. Other people started to approach the car including two witnesses to the accident. The woman unlocked the door and I got into the passenger's seat and began to comfort her. A few seconds later another gentleman jumped into the rear seat behind the woman and placed her head between his hands providing her with a manual neck brace until the paramedics arrived. The man appeared to have some sort of medical training as he told the woman not to move and put her phone down. She had been trying to call her son. The man asked her what her name was and she replied, "Mary." We then shared our identities and the gentleman said his name was Bob. Bob did a great job of calmly talking to Mary to keep her from panicking until help arrived. Mary held my hand tightly and at one point expressed concern that she may be squeezing too hard. I noticed a flyer on the floor along with her purse which had been thrown forward during the accident. I picked it up and noticed it was a funeral bulletin. Mary apparently had just come from a funeral mass. Mary, continued to cry and stated she was in pain in her hip area. When the paramedics arrived they jumped into action. Bob updated them on Mary's medical status and her physical complaints. Unfortunately, Mary was in such great pain the paramedics could not remove her from the car and had to call for back up. The only way to extricate Mary from the car was removing the door from around her. The police officer asked me to find her license which was in her wallet in her purse. Once the police verified who she was, they took over the situation and Bob and I got out of the car to let the professionals do their job. When I began to think about this accident I received some insight from the Lord. At first I felt guilty, thinking to myself, should I have prayed for Mary out loud? But it occurred to me that God hears out silent prayers and in that instance what was needed more was the Lord's presence represented through me. I thought it ironic her name was Mary. This lead me to meditate on the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Mary when she was chosen to give birth to Jesus.(Luke 1:26-38) Both Mary's worlds had been turned upside down by a totally unexpected event. Both women were needing reassurance. And God, chose and sent His messengers to provide the spiritual help that was required. Gabriel was sent to Mary and I was sent to the other Mary. I confess I am humbled by this insight. God is in the midst of every day, ordinary life and if we are sensitive to His presence, He will use us. God wants us to represent Him to this world. Paul tells us, We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God was making His appeal through us." (2 Corinthians 5:20a) Additionally, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40) I pray that Mary was able to recover. Although we may never see each other again, it is enough to know that the presence of God was there in time of need.
Because of Jesus,
Pastor Sheree