by Fr. Bernardino Andrade
(bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)
It took one year to plan and prepare a trip to the Caribbean Islands. Stan and Joyce, married for 33 years, living in England, had everything well planned to spend quality time together on a cruise of their dreams with a short stop in Madeira Island.
Stan was a retired pilot of the Royal Air Force and Joyce a retired Air Traffic Controller. But something happened that had not been planned. Stan got very sick and we met at the Hospital of Funchal where we became good friends. The first time I met Joyce she was looking for the Hospital’s Chapel. Because I speak English I was the one who had the privilege of being chosen by the hospital’s receptionist to be her guide. This was Saturday and she didn’t want to miss Mass on Sunday. I told her about the English Mass at the Chapel of Penha de França and she immediately decided to be there the following Sunday at 10:00 AM. Before the start of Mass, Joyce volunteered to read the Prayers of the Faithful.
When I asked Stan what was his job and he said that he was a pilot, I immediately replied that he must have many beautiful stories to tell. I don’t know why I am always fascinated by the stories of fishermen and pilots.
When I said that he must have many beautiful stories to tell he looked at his wife with such tenderness in his eyes and said: “She is my best story.”
One morning when I arrived at the Hospital where I was a chaplain, the first thing I saw in the corridor was Joyce, seated on a bench, right in front of the chapel door, drinking a large cup of coffee.
I greeted her as usual. The door of the chapel was wide open. Most of the people, when they want to do something they call «profane» or «not religious» in front of the chapel, they close the door «out of respect and reverence». Joyce did the opposite. She opened the door wide open from where she could see and contemplate the tabernacle while enjoying a delicious cup of coffee. I realized that if Joyce had to choose between «reverence» and «intimacy» for sure she would choose intimacy.
Reverence, sometimes, can mean distance. Intimacy is always closeness.
That day, I learned from Joyce that sometimes, I may plan a trip to the Caribbean Islands and end up in the hospital of a foreign land. Sometimes I may feel dry, without words, without thoughts and even without feelings to pray. Sometimes I may feel like asking God “Why me? Why bad things happen to good people?” I learned that when I feel lost in a foreign world there is nothing better than to just sit down, relax and have a cup of coffee with Jesus.