Have you every lost your glasses? Misplaced your keys and you know you took off those shoes (the smelly ones) by the back door only to find that they are not there? And the most frustrating thing is that no matter where you look for those lost items, they are not there and you need the item immediately which makes the situation worse.
St. Anthony, is my favorite Saint and has been since my memory can recall. He is the Saint that I invoke for help when trying to find lost items. He has interceded for me to many times to count. If interested, please look him up, but for now, I really want to share an amazing story with you.
I work in a church office and a young lady (late 20ish) came in, and I would say, a bit frazzled. Her eyes were swollen and red and she persisted to tell me that she lost her billfold. She then continued to tell me that her billfold was not just any billfold because it carried her phone and her keys. She then proceeded to tell me that the keys were not her keys. She was visiting family and she had the keys to a rental car. The more she talked the more she was getting very upset. So, I got up out of my chair and asked her if I could help her retrace her steps. She agreed. She indicated the last place she was at was in the ladies room in the church. We went into the two stall restroom and looked around, on top of the paper towel holder, the sink, the floors. She told me she had emptied the contents of her purse out on the floor, looking for something in particular, but there was no billfold.
We then moved into the church where she was at prior to the ladies room. She indicated to me that she sat in the front row when she was praying. She did mention how beautiful our church was, she mentioned the stain glass and the altar, but by the time she was describing how beautiful everything was, tears were streaming down her face and she began shaking. She was so incredibly upset because she did not have the keys, her identification and the phone that was in the billfold, carried the numbers in which to call. She could not remember any of the numbers. I asked her if she looked in the car, and she stated that this was the first place she looked, but she could not open the car doors because they were locked.
After having no success in the church, I questioned her as to her whereabouts prior to the church. The young lady again indicated how beautiful the church was and then mentioned she was in the Adoration Chapel. I walked over to the chapel which was behind the church. We tip toed into the chapel. There were four adults in the chapel praying. We searched around the chapel only to come up empty handed. I interrupted the people praying and asked them if they had seen the billfold, and unfortunately all had said 'no'.
She began sobbing now. I quickly moved her out of the chapel and towards the prayer garden. I asked her to sit down so she could gather herself and we could develop a plan, after all, I had to get back to work. I grabbed both of her hands and held them and told her to breath and imagine that St. Anthony was standing before her. I began my prayer....."Dear St. Anthony, I am here today with a young lady, very distressed due to a lost item. We have searched over and over and now we ask that you come to our aide. St. Anthony, I am asking for intercessory prayer, in search for this young lady's lost billfold since you are the Saint of lost and stolen items. I ask the Dear Lord to also grant her peace and to deliver her safely back home while on her trip. Amen"
She was most grateful for the prayer. We stood up and I walked her to her car, which was parked quite away from all the other cars. She mentioned that she did not want anyone making a ding in her car door since the car was not hers and this is why she parked so far away. I told her I understood. I am not sure why we walked to the car, knowing full well the car doors were locked. There was momentum in our steps. I did not have a plan. She walked towards the back passenger window, cupped her hands and looked inside the car. She was exasperated because the door was locked and no sign of the billfold.
I asked her to step aside and as I maneuvered ahead of her, I reached for the front door and opened it. She gasped and immediately asked how I opened the door. She indicated that 'those doors were locked'. She moved in front of me and screamed in excitement saying "my billfold is in the front seat. Oh my God, how did you do this?" Of course, I told her that I did nothing, if something was done we need to give thanks to the one who deserves credit, which would be Our Lord and our Blessed St. Anthony. She moved towards me and held my hands and went down on her knees and cried thanking the Lord and asking God to bless me.
I am sure that if anyone walked into the parking lot that day and saw her kneeling before me it would have been an odd sight. I was slightly uncomfortable, feeling a little awkward, but pleased more than anything that she found her billfold.
She came up off her knees exclaiming that this was a "Miracle".
I then told this '20 something girl' to have a safe trip and scooted on back to my office.
Slightly weird, very unusual, but most certainly convinced that God had His hands all over this incident!
Ordinary miracle in my ordinary day. Just saying.....
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