Music in the Divine Orchestra

As I continue to reflect upon the signal grace which God gave me tonight, I am noticing how God asked so many people's lives to be inconvenienced so that the grace would be possible.

It is making me wonder if even the littlest gift from God requires much effort and care not only on the part of Him but also on His creation.

Every little detail counts in this matter. For is it not true that even the tiniest note must be on-key for an orchestra to sound majestic?

Let me explain.

Normally, I would have not lead the religious education class tonight. This is because--about a month or two ago--I recently transferred teaching responsibilities to my friend Shawn (so that I would have less stress and so that he would have more opportunity to practice teaching as he discerns his vocation in his field).

So although I attended the class every week, I had become less of a teacher and more of an aide. Also assisting in the classroom is a lovely woman named Ann (who also works at the public middle school, as I do), and sometimes she will lead the class herself, if asked.

But several inconvenient things happened (in other people's lives) which caused me to teach tonight's class and thus conveniently encounter tonight's beautiful Biblical message. They are the following:

• Shawn's car broke down.
• His glasses broke.
  
• Then he unknowingly left his apartment keys in his car when he took it in for repair.
• As a result, he got locked out of his apartment last night.
  
• As a result, he spent the entire night sleeping outside until his roommate finally got up for work.
• As a result of the exhaustion, he asked if he could skip attending class tonight.
• As a result, I looked for my colleague Ann to see if she would teach tonight's lesson instead.
• As a result of both of her children being home sick, she had taken a sick day and could not teach today.
  
• So, as a result, I taught class.
• As a result, I was the only one who handled the Bible.
• As a result, I was fortunate to notice what was printed on its pages!

So it appears that Shawn had to endure the sacrifices of broken glasses, a broken-down car, and sleeping outside all night. Ann's children had to endure the sacrifice of being sick. Ann had to endure the sacrifice of losing a sick day. A substitute had to sacrifice and come in to take her place at the middle school. Ann's children will have the burden of making up the work that they missed.

And all of this was part of the Divine Orchestra which Our Lord conducted so that I would see that message!

Because many people's lives were affected and many individuals were asked to sacrifice their convenience for my own, it is therefore my obligation to appreciate and value that message of hope!

Yes, the message was delivered, but the many persons who helped deliver that message (even if unknowingly) sacrificed to get it to me.

And the fact that they did not even know they were sacrificing for me makes it even more valuable, since to suffer while trusting that the suffering has purpose (even when you may never know that purpose) is saintly indeed!

So this blog is a thank-you to the people making music in God's Divine Orchestra by way of their sufferings and sacrifice. You simply followed the conductor, but your music carried me today!