TAKE MY HAND

By Mary Olivia Patiño

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” -John 14:6 

Have you ever dreamt of feeling lost? Of standing at a bus stop, waiting anxiously for the right bus marked in BOLD LETTERS with your street’s destination? Or, of boarding a bus, but never arriving at your destination? Have you ever dreamt of trying to find your car but can’t seem to remember where it is parked?  Have you ever felt lost? 

I’ve experienced these dreams. The settings are usually at night:  I may have just left a meeting or class; or on my way back to my car. Wisps of familiar buildings, i.e., a former place of work, a retreat center, a college, of home. Why is it always ‘dark’? 

Have you ever dreamt of struggling to get home, but every turn you take gets you further away in the night, into darkness? No one seems to be there to help. Or, while you might pass people on the road, they are oblivious to your need? Perhaps you pass them without asking for help until it is too late. 

One night, my dream started in this way: A dark rainy evening. I stood near an open doorway, ready to go inside after saying goodbye to my sister on the road behind me. Apparently, we had just visited with each other. I watched her walk away into chilling drops of rain.  

     In real life, my sister had been self-dependent and a hard worker. At home, during our young adult years, I’d look out as she closed the door behind her. She would walk several blocks in the wee hours to take the bus to work, and late afternoons to return home. I remember varied facets of her life as I grieve her recent passing. 

In this dream, having said ‘goodbye’, I suddenly looked back. Moved with concern, I asked if I could help her. “Would you like to come with me, sister?”  

     “Yes.” She took my outstretched hand. With my arms around her shoulders, I held her and guided her back up some steps, out of the rain, into a safe, dry space. 

Somehow, in my dream, I had intuited that she was going off into the unknown. What could she be feeling? I needed to help. 

On waking, this dream reflected sharp realities for me. Unlike countless other dreams, I was seemingly not the one who was lost. I was in the darkness, saying goodbye, but now something else was happening.  Although she had not spoken, my sister needed me. Did she? 

Dreams can bring messages. “Know that I am with you. I will protect you wherever you go.” (See Jacob’s dream in Genesis 28:12-15). The message for me? Look around you. See the suffering of others. Be aware of Jesus Christ in their suffering. Also, trust in God, and ask for help when I am in physical or spiritual need. Rely on God and live in hope for His mercy in difficult trials of life.  The Psalmist declares: “In safe waters, you lead me...you guide me along the right path...when I walk through a dark valley...you are at my side.” (Psalm 23: 2-4). I ponder the words and love of Jesus: 

“’Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” -John 14:6 

“Come to me all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” -Matthew 11:28 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” -John 3:16 

Lastly, I recall the summer when, at age 19, I worked at a family grocery store in a neighborhood far from home. After my shift was over in the evenings, I walked to a bus stop. Standing on a lonely street corner without benefit of any lights, I waited as bravely as I could. Occasionally, cars passed. I tried not to be afraid. One night, a car stopped. “Uh, oh.” The young man behind the wheel was a co-worker! He was on his grocery delivery route and took compassion. He drove me home. I’d prayed for God’s protection. All was dark, but God heard me. 

Sisters and Brothers: let us not be afraid to reach out to the Lord; nor to each other. 

My prayer today: “Lord, take my hand. Don’t let go of me. I rely on your Promise. Lord, guide me to take the hand of my ‘neighbor’, and those in need so I may encounter you.” 

For Reflection:  What are my fears?  
When or where have I felt ‘lost’? What was my first reaction? How did I overcome this sensation or actual situation?  
To whom do I reach out for help? Who came to my assistance? 
How do I reach out to God? 
Where do I encounter Jesus?