We pilgrims on a flight to Israel knew that we needed a strong priest to guide us on our trip to the Holy Land, which can be volatile.
I must admit that I felt a bit unsure when I saw that our guide, Fr. Matthew, had brought his knitting on the flight, and was creating a lovely scarf in a shade of pale yellow. ( It surprised me that airport security allowed knitting needles on board.)
Several days later , our group was exploring The Old Market in Jerusalem. I was dawdling along, well behind the rest of the group , when I felt myself grabbed from behind by strong arms. I was dragged down a narrow alley and found myself in a tiny room with a swarthy man. He deftly placed a silver necklace around my neck and demanded 300 American dollars for it. In my panic, I tried bartering with the man, trying to buy some time.
Just then, I heard a familiar baritone voice bellowing: ” Leave her alone !”. It was Fr. Matthew, who had come to find his lost sheep! The necklace was removed from my neck, and Fr. Matthew and I rejoined the rest of the flock. May God richly bless and reward all the true shepherds who protect their sheep.
