CPE: "Are you an Angel?"

I found her sitting in the windowsill outside the chapel door, quietly weeping as I was walking to the chapel office to type up my notes for the day.  People often seemed to halt at the chapel door, as if they were pondering whether they were allowed in.  Were they afraid that God would not welcome them in, or if the people around them would be annoyed by their crying?  people looking indecisive about whether they should be in a holy space tend to push me to make an introduction.

I introduced myself.  She was an older Roman Catholic woman, in her 70's perhaps. She spoke with a fairly thick Italian accent.  Not "Jersey" Italian; Italian Italian--she had emigrated in her teens.  I introduced myself, took her by her hand and arm, and with her permission led her into the chapel and to a pew.  The tears and wails of the faithful should be just as welcome in the presence of God as shouts of joy, laughing, singing, chanting, and praying.

We spoke for 50 minutes.  Actually, she spoke, I did a lot of listening and passing her tissue.  Her husband was in the hospital, and she was facing the decision about whether he went into assisted-living (with money they didn't have) or whether to hire someone to come take care of him (with money they didn't have).  

Should she sell the house?

Was God punishing her and her husband?

At the end of our time together, she said, "You know, I have seen angels twice.  Both times they warned me about something bad, and helped tell me what to do.  I remember what she looked like, it was the same one both times."

"You've been looking for her recently, yeah?"

"Yes, but I haven't seen her yet."

She looked up from her lap to me, "Are you an angel?"  

"No ma'am, I'm human.  But maybe I am one sent."

I didn't tell her, but her question did strike something within me.  

My birthday is October 2nd, 

also known in the Roman Catholic Church 

as the Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels,

which is not a bad set of patrons to have.