August 1st, 2026, 10:11 am
Gregory was looking for something. He did not have the camera on his computer turned on for our chat, but the sounds were unmistakably clear, sometimes closer and sometimes as if from the other side of the room. He was flipping through pages, lifting things and then putting them down, shuffling to and fro. Finally, he seemed to have sat down.
“I probably have lost it . . . probably the lady who comes to clean the house threw it away while cleaning the living room,” he sighed in exasperation.
“It probably was not that important, and that was why she threw it away. She would never throw away anything important,” Mary chimed in, tired of all the noise he had been sending into our speakers. “Anyway, what is it that you are looking for that has caused all this commotion?”
“What would you know? All you know is to tell me that I have to throw away this and that, and that I have too many things at home,” Gregory fired back, rather frustrated. Then he took a deep breath and explained that he was looking for a travel card. The card served as proof of payment for 10 bus rides to the beach and back, valid through this season.
In the past, anytime Gregory lost something, he would go and light a candle in honor of the saint revered for revealing hidden or lost things. Anytime someone shared that they could not find something, he would encourage them to pray to the saint, so the saint would give them the revelation they needed. I expected Gregory to share that he would light a candle in the church the next day and ask the saint to help him find the card. Not today.
A bit earlier, Mary had shared that she had grown from chasing after the right facts and always wanting to know more to being part of a community of people who love God and care for one another.
Gregory, still somewhat frustrated, then asked us to pray that he might find the card. He had barely completed the sentence when our speakers transmitted shuffling sounds again, and then a joyful exclamation, “Praise be to God! He answered our prayers! I just found the card!”
Gregory was overjoyed. So was I. I was glad he found the card and will get to enjoy the sea this summer. The true reason for my joy, however, was that Gregory had come to acknowledge that God, not the saint, helps in times of distress and need.
