In The Right Place

I left the monastery for a few days to do a funeral.  While in town, I took an early morning mass.  After the mass, I stood outside to greet the people.  Then a woman came out and she was crying a bit.  This is the day that her daughter, Elizabeth, died three years ago.  I listened to the woman and then said I would pray for her daughter.  She thanked me.  Then I turned around and saw a couple crying.  Their dog had died the night before and the body was in the car in a little basket.  They wanted me to do something.  So I prayed over the dog and gave her a blessing.  I said that nothing of God's creation ever ceases to exist.  "Willow" the dog is in God's  loving hands.  I believe this too.  Then I went into church and someone wanted me to hear their confession.  I did.  As I was going back to the sacristy to change out of my vestments, I realized that I could have missed all three of these precious encounters, either because I was not there, or was there but with a "do not bother" sign on my face.  Don't you just know that when you are in the right space and the right place, you can be of the most help to others?  I think God really wanted me to come out of the monastery for a few days to tell me some things.  I am listening.  Now, I wonder if Jesus had a dog?