Sunset Invitation

During my working days, I was privileged to travel to Hungary. One Saturday, the work week was over and the flight home was scheduled for Monday, so the opportunity was open to be a tourist. Budapest is a fascinating city filled with ancient buildings, bridges and a castle on the hill. One fun fact is how this city is two cities, Buda and Pest, set on two sides of the Danube River, connected by the Chain Bridge.

My colleague and I had walked over the bridge and taken the cog train up to see the castle in Buda. Late afternoon we had returned to the city center in Pest. The sun was going down. Just before it descended, Leslie* and I came around a corner, delighted by a spectacular feat of architecture in the city square. The long boulevard was designed to focus the viewers’ attention at a particular place as the shadows enclosed the street in hues of purple and gray. 

The top of the towering church, St. Stephen, sported a brilliant glow. A carved set of words above the gigantic arched front door gleamed high over the surrounding buildings. Gold leaf accentuated the effect. As the sun glinted brightly on the lofty golden letters, the viewer was stunned into beholding the contrast against the enfolding dark.

We squinted to see the glistening words, clearly another language. Leslie said to me – “I wonder what language that is?”

“It’s Latin,” I said. The words were simple but powerful. 

She said, “Well, you studied Latin in school.” (Amazing the things you tell colleagues that they remember!) “Can you read it and interpret for me?” 

As I read EGO SUM VIA VERITAS ET VITA, I thought about the throngs of people who had stood there and not understood what they read. How much they were missing! (Close up image at midday below.)

I said, “Well, it's the words of Jesus from the Bible, in the book of John. It says, ‘EGO SUM - I am – VIA - the Way, VERITAS - the Truth - ET VITA - and the Life.’ I added, “…Right after that Jesus says, ‘No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ ” 

Her eyes opened wide. She said, “In this day and age, do you really believe those words?” 

All I could answer was, “Yes… with all my heart.” 

She got quiet and didn't seem receptive to anything else as she got distracted by a large bronze statue. The sculptor had named it The Fat Policeman. It was a great place for a photo op! Leslie snuggled up while I snapped. Pictures and jokes about her new “man” abounded. We stopped for dinner and walked back to our hotel that Saturday evening.

The next day, on Sunday, as I was putting on my earbuds to listen to Time of Grace (timeofgrace.org), she asked me if she could listen, too. It was a short fifteen minute segment by Pastor Mark Jeske. She was impressed at two things: how he talked only of Jesus, and how short it was, even with a prayer! I could hardly contain myself, but remained calm. God works in mysterious ways.

Waiting to board the plane on Monday presented another opportunity to review our weekend. We chatted about our trip and all we had done. St. Stephen’s came up again. 

“What questions do you have about the golden Bible passage or Time of Grace?” I ventured. We chatted about the surprise at sunset and the impact of the Time of Grace ministry. Later she asked me to pray for her to find another man. This was kind of tongue in cheek as she reminisced that I had prayed with her after her former husband had died. She liked the comfort it brought her.

Back to work on Tuesday, the trip remained a pleasant time of work and play. That was ten years ago.

I retired and kept up the relationship only through social media. Out of the blue three years ago, Leslie posted a "Happily Married" picture with Bill*. Apparently, God heard her prayer!

I have since lost touch, but I do know that God led me to invite her to see Jesus with just a few words when neither of us was expecting it. I pray for her that someone else is working on the reaping. 

And then again, might it be that my remembering is an urging from the Spirit to get back in touch to see how that faith walk of hers is doing? Could I use the memory to share the rest of Jesus’ words He shared with his disciples? Who have you invited in the past that could use another invitation to “come and see” today?

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? …You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 

John 14:1-6

Father, give us the courage to show others the way to you, by showing them your Son and our Savior, Jesus. Amen. 

*names changed to protect my colleague and her husband