Recently a dear friend of mine told me a story about shopping with Mary.
My friend, Kim, talked about how when she would drive to the store she would say, “Come on, Mary, we’re going shopping.” (Mary refers here to our Blessed Mother Mary). It is Kim’s custom to talk to Mary often so this was not unusual. Kim would notice that while shopping, she would run into people that looked needy in one way or another. She seemed to attract these types of people while in the store like a magnetic pull.
One day when Kim walked into the store she once again said to our Lady, “Come on Mary, we’re going shopping.” While she was shopping she noticed she kept passing by a woman that looked impoverished and in need. When Kim went to check out, there was the same woman in front of her in line.
It was a bitterly cold day and Kim noticed the woman had no gloves, so Kim gave her the gloves that she had on, saying “Take these for your hands, I have more at home.” The woman took them. After Kim had checked out and gone out to her car, she saw the same woman walking with her bags in the cold. Kim stopped and offered her a ride which the woman gladly took.
Days later, Kim began to realize that while she was thinking of shopping for food or other items, Mary was busy shopping for souls. Mary would shop for the souls in need and send them the way of Kim. Mary took Kim up on the shopping invitation, but she had a whole different definition of “shopping.”
As Kim shared this story with me, I thought of Jesus saying to Simon and Andrew, “From now on you will be fishers of men.” I think Mary was saying to Kim, “From now on you will be a shopper of souls.”
I wanted to share this precious story with you. It was, and is, a reminder to me to be alert to whom Jesus and Mary want to put in my path for a prayer, a physical need, a kind word, encouragement, etc.
So next time you go shopping, ask Mary to come along and watch who she drops into your path. Shop til she drops.
God bless,
Mary Ann / Mother Hen
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