" I implore you, my child; observe heaven and earth, consider all that is in them, and acknowledge that God made them out of nothing (ex nihilo), and that mankind comes into being in the same way..." 2 Maccabees 7:28

Monday, August 11, 2008



I have a very predictable morning routine. On Thursday everything was as usual; I went to mass at 9 am and said my usual prayer to St Joseph asking him to look after me as he did for his wife Mary. By 10 am I was on the road heading back to San Jose after spending a few days at my parents house. For the whole trip home down busy, 8 lane highway 280, the battery light was on very faintly, so faintly that when I was wearing sunglasses I couldn't see it. Other than that, the trip was uneventful.

Finally I arrived in San Jose and on Camden my car died. Not just stalled, it died completely- even the hazard lights wouldn't work. And it was stuck in park so I couldn't even put it into neutral (much to the irritation of the kindly, tattooed homeless man who offered to push my car to the side of the road; when I told him it was impossible, he went back to the intersection and, with much gesticulation and flailing of arms had a very heated exchange with his shopping cart, presumably about bad women drivers.)

The tow truck came and loaded my poor, dirty little pro- life car onto its back and carried her gently off to the repair shop. In the car on the way over the driver said that was a horrible spot to stall. But I knew there was a much worse place, highway 280 where I had been less than an hour previously. There I would've been stuck inside the car (instead of being able to escape and wait on the side of the road) in danger of being rear- ended by another car going 70 miles an hour.

Thank you, Saint Joseph. You're my hero.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh wow. My parents live on Camden. Wouldn't it be weird if they somehow saw you stranded on the side of the road?

BTW, I'm doing well. Just quiet if can believe that.

Anonymous said...

I always say a prayer when I get behind the wheel of my car. Always. And I can say I have been blessed any time I had car problems--like flat tires while parked in my own driveway! My husband always gives me a hard time about my "luck."

Once years ago, I was making deliveries for my husband's business. I had my infant daughter in the car with me. For some reason I decided to stop by my house between deliveries. It was early for lunch, but I was compelled to stop at the house. I wasn't home 5 minutes when I heard this loud explosion. One of my tires burst while it was parked in the driveway! If I hadn't come home I would have been on the busiest of Houston's freeways with an infant in the car when the tire blew!

As I said, I ALWAYS say a prayer when I get behind the wheel! And that day I certainly said a prayer of thanks!

Kaecey said...

You're right - 280 would have been worse. My car broke down on 280 northbound 14 years ago - while I was driving in the far left lane - and I can still remember every scary detail!

Chris G said...

Thank God, and thank St. Joseph! I just started praying to St. Joseph myself about 2 months agao. I don't know why I didn't - I guess he kind of takes a back seat to Mary and Jesus, even St. Jude, in the devotional life of my church. I'm glad I "discovered" him. What a powerful intercessor and model of a faithful, holy, loving man and husband. St. Joseph, please continue to protect Faith, and please pray for me!