For the Altar of Repose I used a very nice wooden tabernacle I had been given some years ago (from an old convent). The tabernacle used here before I came is a very heavy, large metal one with a brass door. I have been using that to store the holy oils. Because "my" tabernacle is wood, at the end of the watching I decided, for security reasons, to place the Blessed Sacrament in the old metal one in the sacristy. There was nothing wrong with the key or the lock.Today, when I came to bring the Blessed Sacrament into the church during the 3.00 pm service, I could not open the door of the old tabernacle. The lock would not budge. I decided to bless the key and the lock. After about three more attempts, the door opened. When I went back afterwards to look at the door, the key was not bent, but when I put it into the lock it behaved as though it was bent. Clearly something had happened inside the lock itself. I am puzzled as to how this happened, and thank God that the door opened so that I could distribute Holy Communion.
Strange.
ReplyDeleteInteresting.
ReplyDeleteMy friend Elizabeth whose blog (http://frabjousdays.blogspot.com/) is currently in hiatus, has great confidence in St Peter for this kind of problem.
She tells a story of a home ed group she attended where a child was locked in a toilet cubicle. All attempts at getting her out proved fruitless and the mother of said child was about to call the fire brigade. Elizabeth somewhat shyly asked if she might try prayer ( this was a regular, secular gathering) to which the mother assented. I think Elizabeth asked simply for "St Peter and Our Lady undoer of knots to pray for us". Hey presto, the lock easily opened at the next attempt.
On another occasion I had great difficulty with a padlock which simply wouldn't budge. It was so impossible that I believed that the key was the wrong one for the lock. Speaking to Elizabeth over the mobile phone she suggested this prayer which I tried, but very half heartedly and feeling pretty unbelieving and foolish. It didn't work.
She arrived sometime later and also had a go at the lock and likewise had no luck at all.
Then she said the pray invoking St Peter and Our Lady and at the next attempt the lock smoothly sprang open!
It gave me something to think about.
Here is another wonderful story called "When God locks doors" on Jen Fulweilers blog:
http://www.conversiondiary.com/2009/08/when-god-locks-doors.html
Well worth reading. It's one of my favourite.