Getting More Than We Bargained For

 

Usually when I go to the shopping mall, I am looking for some cool new clothes, something for the kids, and a nice cup of coffee or salad. “What about something for me?” I hear Daniel thinking to himself… hmm….but you get the picture; I’m going so that I can chill  out, escape and enjoy myself.  So I was quite surprised when I heard that at my favorite hang-out, the Lloyd Center Mall, Father Antonius Wall is holding vigil there six days a week!!! Now, I’m all for confession and all that stuff, but not when you’re looking for a Prada bag!  It just doesn’t sit well or feel right!

But I saw him there with my own eyes.  The elderly gentleman (he looks pretty good for being 86-years-old actually), seemed to be drawing quite a crowd.  So of course, curiosity got the better of me, and I went to have a bit of an eavesdrop.  He was counseling one woman who was talking about her sick husband and she actually left with a smile!  He seemed like a very approachable man – not so stereotypical of what I might expect from the clergy – so I started softening my attitude to him sitting vigil there.  His philosophy apparently, is loving G-d through love of humans.  Well, I certainly like that.  I just wish somehow he could get my Prada bag involved in all this love…