Eureka!  I’ve Found It!

One of the things that I try to do is to go to mass during the week, mostly on Wednesdays and Fridays. One this particular Friday, after quite an eventful morning at the office, I was quite determined to go to Mass.  It was one of those Fridays that if I did not move fast, something would come up to prevent me from going.  So I hastily left the office to go to mass, which was about two blocks away.  As I left the office and was heading down the street, I became very aware that there was someone – a very busy-bodied someone – hustling behind me.  I could almost feel the energy of the person as they ran to meet me. As she got to my side, this very pleasant voice said, “Good morning sir. Can you tell me where Knox Street is?”  I was a bit surprised because the person appeared to be very young but yet very well mannered.

I knew the name of the street, but could not remember exactly where it was; but I knew that it was somewhere in the general direction in which we were heading.  So I replied telling the young lady that I think it is just ahead of us.  But she was so very pleasant, that I wanted to help her more.  So I asked her exactly where she was going.  Then she told me that she was to meet someone by the Police Headquarters.  Then it occurred to me where she was going.  It was directly ahead of us. As I pointed out the building to her, she thanked me then struck up the most beautiful conversation I have heard – particularly from a young person.  Without raising her head or looking directly at me, but with absolute conviction she said, “You know sir, life is very short, and we will never know what tomorrow may bring.  I have given my life to Jesus and it is the best thing I have ever done.”

Up to that point, I did not really look at the person who was walking next to me.  I just glanced over my shoulder once or twice.  It is in my nature.  Very seldom do I look directly at strangers.  That is something I suppose, I need to work on.  But when this young lady said what she did, I almost stumbled over myself to see who was walking besides me.  Then she continued, “The best thing anyone can do with their life is to give it to Christ and allow Him to be their Lord and Saviour.”  I must say that as this young lady spoke, something burned inside of me and I responded, “AMEN! I agree with you 100 percent!”  Then she said, “In case we meet again, my name is Eureka.”  I responded by saying, “It’s nice to meet you.” Then she wished me a good day and sped off to her destination.

As I continued on my way to mass, I looked on filled with awe, as she disappeared around the corner to her destination.  I remembered the story of the men on their way to Emmaus when Jesus walked besides them. What absolutely blew my mind about this beautiful young person was not what she said.  I have heard that message a million times over, from lay persons and from the most dynamic preachers, but I have never heard it quite the way it was presented by this young lady. The faith, the childlike faith of this young person really touched me almost to the point of tears.  In fact, every time I think about it or relate the story to anyone as I am now, I get a bit of a chill and my eyes well up.  For me, it was as if I had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ that day.  I felt the love of God so powerfully present, and I praise and thank God for it.

As I continued through the rest of the day, I thought of Eureka very often.  Each time I thought of her, I wondered, “Aren’t we all as baptised Catholics, supposed to be “like Christ” to others?  Like Eureka, aren’t we, by our words, our actions, by the fire of the Holy Spirit blazing in our hearts supposed to cause the fire of the Holy Spirit to ignite in others too?  Then another thought crossed my mind that gave me goose bumps – what if more of us actually had the zeal of the Lord burning in us like Eureka; wouldn’t our battered world experience the healing and all transforming love of God!? The knock out punch with Eureka was when she told me her name.  That was when there was this urge in me to see who was this stranger, this friend, this ‘angel’ walking at my side. Eureka is an exclamation for “I have found it!” The dictionary defines eureka as “an exclamation used to express triumph for finding or discovering something of great value.” Well Eureka certainly found It – Jesus Christ, and she spoke and lived and moved not on the knowledge of Christ, but based on the intimate relationship she obviously has with Him.

The story of Eureka got even more interesting. I was very anxious to get to prayer meeting to share with my sisters and brothers, the experience I had.  As I described what happened to me that Friday, one of my brothers – Attos - excitedly interjected before I could finish, and described the person I encountered.  Reliving the whole experience, I looked at him with tears of great joy and excitement welling up in my eyes.  Then he explained that he had experienced this very same person, months before I did and miles away from where I did.  He too was so moved by her, that when he got home, he related to story to his wife, who was also at the prayer meeting.  Now my brother Attos meets many people almost on a daily basis, because he is very much involved in evangelization.  Attos also does not fuss about anything.  So he must have had quite an encounter for him to relate this to his wife.

Jesus said, “I have come that you may have life and have it to the full.  I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.” (John 10: 10 – 11)  May you come to discover the fullness of life that Christ Jesus came to give to us all.  May you come to experience Him, the Good Shepherd and may that experience, that encounter with the living Lord flood your thirsty soul with peace