If Jesus Dropped By Your Office

This is an amusing and thoughtful prayer reflection that I’ve used to open my Fall teacher training workshops. I hope you enjoy it!

An Hour With Jesus

Adapted from a work by Fr. Armand Nigro, S.J.

J = Jesus
P = Person
N = Narrator

N: It was the week before Sunday School began. All the last minute registrations, lesson planning and room set-up details were due. In the midst of the chaos, Jesus sends me an invitation to spend an hour with him.

I was nervous about the invitation, so I prepared by staying up late to glance over my notes from my old theology classes, and reviewed the last few issues of my professional ministry journals. After all, I didn’t want to seem unprepared for a meeting with Jesus.

I looked through the 4 Gospels again too, just in case He referred to something from His past that was recorded there. And I cleaned up my office (as I faithfully do each year, anyway), because he insisted on coming here instead of meeting me in the Chapel or on neutral ground.

When Jesus came I fell to my knees, but He pulled me up…

J: Can’t we just sit down together?

N: I felt awkward and didn’t know how to start the conversation…

J: Relax! I just like to be here with you and enjoy the scenery from your window. The mountains and skyline look beautiful today.

N: Well I could hardly believe it! If I’m busy and can’t afford to waste time, He must be infinitely busier! And there were so many important things to accomplish during that hour. I really wanted to get the most out of it. But He just sat there in silence with His hand on my shoulder.

P: Lord, where do you stand on the controversies facing the Church today? Do you support a conservative or progressive view of Church and ministry?

J: What’s that got to do with our enjoying this scenery together?

N: Silence. I was uneasy. I reached for one of my professional ministry journals…

P: Lord, I just read something here on the future of traditional educational styles…

J: What difference does it make to our time together here? Do you like the way my Father has fashioned those lovely clouds and the mountains?

N: More silence. I opened the 6th grade Sunday School student workbook…

P: How can your gospel be authentically proclaimed, Lord, to young people enslaved by middle-class economic and social structures?

J: You haven’t forgiven that teacher down the hall yet, nor let me heal your anger and unkind judgments of her, have you?

P: That doesn’t answer my question, Lord.

J: Your question does nothing to our precious time together except distract from it.

N: More silence.

P: Are you happy with contemporary worship services and the changes in the Church?

J: Are you?

P: Oh yes… most of the changes are really good, but I think some of the liberals have carried things too far and some of the conservatives are closed-minded and critical.

J: (laughing) You’re impossible! Aren’t you happy to spend a few friendly minutes with me without trying to get some new insights for this year’s lesson plans?

P: You’re confusing me, Lord! I learned how to pray 30 years ago in Sunday School, and I’ve prayed ever since. We even had a teacher workshop on prayer last spring. I’m not exactly new at this, you know.

J: No, not new… just a bit slow on comprehension… but I love you anyway!

P: That helps, Lord … but not much.

N: More silence. I saw a shelf that I forgot to dust and some keys that needed to be turned in, and a report that wasn’t filed. I was getting more restless.

P: Lord, would you like a glass of juice or something? It would take only a minute to run down and get one.

J: And what would I do while you’re gone? I prefer we just sit here together.

N: Silence.

J: Do you love me?

P: Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.

J: I liked it when Peter said it. But is it really true for you?

P: Honestly, you’re not making this hour very easy for me!

J: You’re the one who’s making it hard. I just like to spend time with you, sharing my presence with you and assuring you of my love. You don’t even have to entertain me when we are together. Just be there, OK?

N: More silence.

J: Who do you say that I am?

P: Well, according to the 4th Council at Chalcedon (kal-see-done) in the year 451, you are, and I quote: “Our Lord Jesus Christ: the same perfect in divinity and perfect in humanity, the same truly God and truly man, composed of rational soul and body; consubstantial with the Father as to his divinity and consubstantial with us as to his humanity.”

J: (a long pause) What???

N: Then Jesus exploded with laughter, rose and raised His arms straight up with His head back roaring. He gave me a big bear hug.

J: Yes, you are impossible! But I still love you!

N: Then He left, still laughing all the way down the hall.

I didn’t think it was very funny at all.
I stood gazing out the window for a few moments, still confused, and before getting back to the important things on a desk full of worries.

Then I really missed Him!