by Rev. Herbert Nichols

If the world hates you, realize that it has hated me first; If you belonged to the world the world would love it s own; but I have chosen you out of the world Johnl5:l8.-19

Certainly those words deliver a powerful note of consolation and challenge to those to whom they are addressed. We do not belong to the world. We belong to Jesus who warned repeatedly that the world will hate us; not only because our values are different but because without faithful prayer we will not remain faithful to our values.

At the very least that means that we should take some time each day for prayer--for communication--for exchanging love with Jesus. . . .Imagine of all the billions of people who have lived in this world how staggering to think that Jesus has chosen me.

That in itself should be enough to get me out of bed early in the morning; and I do get up early but shamefully admit that the newspaper usually takes a priority before the coffee Mass and breviary.

Perhaps if my imagination were more open to hear a conversation such as: Have you any idea how thrilled I am to spend this day with you. I get to talk to the people that you stop to meet. I get to go with you wherever you go: church, work, supermarket, even your vacations.

I get to see through your eyes and to touch through your hands and feel through your pains. Through you I can be compassionate empathetic and sensitive. What joy there is when we join voices in praise of Abba.

That may sound like a very imaginary fantasy and though Jesus and I have never had quite a conversation like that, it reminds me very much of an incident in my life twenty years ago.

Ordained about 7 years I was on vacation In Switzerland at the Hotel International with a pool on the 34th floor overlooking the entire city. To my chagrin I realized that I had forgot to pack a bathing suit. And being a Wednesday afternoon the stores were closed until Thursday morning.

I asked the pool attendant if I there was anywhere to obtain a bathing suit. He replied: Not until tomorrow but from 5-7am the facilities are clothes optional. I immediately thought if that’s the only chance to use the pool then so be it.

I was in the pool shortly after 5am and a bit later in the Sauna, where a gentleman was already sitting. Do you mind if I join you I asked? Not at all. You’re American I can tell by your accident. I replied yes and he asked my occupation.

I thought to myself: OH, OH, but I admitted immediately to being a priest. His response was OH my God, mixed with surprise and a bit of humor. I asked if there was a problem. Had I offended him. Not at all he said. In fact you may be an answer to a prayer.

He went on to tell me that he had been away from the church more years than I had been on earth; and two weeks prior as he was walking down the sidewalk, he literally felt himself sucked into a church. He knelt down and prayed. My God it has been so long. How I wish I could come back; but I am petrified of going to confession. If you can get me to confession, I will never leave the church again.

Now that is a true story and so is the rest of the conversation. I made the sign of the cross saying: May God be in your mind and heart and lips that you might make a good confession. Here he replies somewhat startled:

Now I thought I had of offended him. I said: There’s only three of us here and nothing that hasn’t been said or seen. He laughed. God does have a sense of humor. He made his confession and said I can’t wait till Sunday to go to Communion. I said: Why wait, there must be a church nearby with Mass. When he realized that he was able to go to communion immediately; he quickly dashed of saying: Excuse me Father, don’t think me impolite but I've been waiting a long time for this. I said, it’s not impolite its gratitude. God bless you.

That was a rather unique confession. I’ve heard a few with similar material but never in the same mileiu. It certainly was a living example of the image prayer I shared earlier.

I guess the purpose in sharing all of this is to prompt all of us to ask ourselves: What decisions will I make today that show that I belong to Jesus and not to the world