May 6, 2001

Matthew Fox is a former Dominican theologian who once reported that the moon is just the right distance from the earth for the tides to occur. If the moon was just a bit closer or just a bit farther, the oceans would be stagnant and there would be no tides. The same is true of the earth's distance from the sun. A bit closer or a bit farther and this planet would be inhabitable.

Fox also told of how the universe began as a large fireball some nineteen billion years ago. For 750,000 years the fireball expanded. We know now that if the fireball had expanded one millionth of a millionth of a second faster or slower over those 750,000 years, you and I wouldn't be here today. Nor would we be here if the temperature of that fireball were one degree warmer or colder.

We can call that a coincidence or we can call that an example of the reality of God's unconditional and incredible love for us!

A young man whose parents had left the house for several hours walked into his father's library in search of a book to pass the time and found one that at least began with a story. He headed to his room, lay upon the bed, and began to read. The story was about a person who had dedicated himself to God, and it was followed by stories of others that had done the same. The book so moved and captivated the young man that he, too, decided to dedicate his life to God. He full upon his knees in prayer and came to the decision to enter into ministry. That is one side of the story of Hudson Taylor, known as the apostle to the Chinese missions.

The story has another side. When Taylor's mother returned home, he told her something extraordinary had happened to him, but before he could tell her the story she stopped him. "I know exactly what you are going to tell me!" Taylor's mom had stopped to pray in a downtown Church and had prayed intently that he, her son, would do something special with his life -- that he would enter into the ministry. "What you are going to tell me, she said, "is that my prayer has been answered!" Her visit to the church and his reading of the book had happened precisely at the same time.

Jesus, in our Gospel today, alluded to the sheep and shepherd relationship between God and his people. In essence, he makes it clear that God is not distant but near, that God has a loving relationship with us all. So maybe, just maybe, what passes for a coincidence may well be an example of that love, an example of the fact that the Shepherd is looking out for his sheep.

SO THE QUESTION: HAS SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT EVER HAPPENED TO YOU THAT HAD YOU WONDERING IF IT WAS A COINCIDENCE?

Click here to view the archive