A Lesson in Faith

I'm working this Sunday so I thought I'd attend anticipated mass this Saturday. I've made an ocular visit yesterday of where I thought the only Catholic Church here in Iqaluit was. I've googled on the church's website to check the mass schedule so I knew it was supposed to be at 5:30 but the Filipina who works downstairs told me that it starts at 5:00 so to be on the safe side I told myself I'll be in Church by 5:00. I thought I got that all figured out. I had my well laid out plans for this Saturday. Catch up on emails, chat with family, throw the garbage, go to mass. I was out of the apartment at 4:50, took a taxi because it was pitch dark outside although not necessarily cold at -8C. The lights were off at the church when I got there, the taxi driver even asked me if I'm sure there's going to be a mass, I said it was either 5PM or 5:30 so it must be at 5:30 then. I was ok with having to wait for another half hour anyway it wasn't that cold and the Church was in the middle of downtown so I felt safe. I think another 20 minutes must have passed and there was no indication that somebody would turn on the lights and there were no signs of other parishoners arriving to hear mass. So I was a little bit annoyed about having to stand there in the cold waiting for almost half an hour for nothing. Finally, I decided to just go home. Maybe the mass was cancelled or something (though I didn't see any note at the doors saying so). I took a taxi again because after standing outside the Church for half an hour I was not in the mood for a leisurely walk. I gave my apartment address to the taxi driver and he said he'll be picking up other customers first then he'll take me home (taxis do that here, expect there'll be passengers other than you and you can wave and hail for a taxi wherever you are). I said it was ok and started complaining how I had to wait for half an hour for the mass and turns out there's no mass after all. Taxi driver turned to me and said, "well, you will be rewarded for your good intentions". I wasn't too sure if I heard him right and so I asked him to say it again. And again he said my intentions were good, so even if I didn't get to hear mass I would still be rewarded. I answered with a half hearted, "I guess you're right", sounding as enthusiastic as somebody who just won consolation prize at some contest. And the driver kept reassuring me that my good intentions won't go unnoticed and he told me he is of the Islam faith and he believes this to be true - that whatever you're doing, even if you're getting ready to sleep or something like that if you offer it as a prayer with the purest intentions, it would be lifted up and rewarded as a high form of prayer - or words to that effect. And he reminded me of that old Muslim story, about a man who dreamed all his life to make that pilgrimage to Mecca and after saving his money for so many years he finally was able to afford the trip but on the way he chanced upon a family in need and decided to give his precious savings to them and headed back home because after giving away all he's got, he could no longer afford the said trip. But then his charitable act would be rewarded more than if he was able to make it to Mecca. I guess I felt better afterwards. I mean, to be honest I didn't have the purest intentions for going to mass other than the desire to fulfill an obligation but I didn't feel as bad anymore for having to wait in the cold. And I got a little lesson in faith on board a taxi. Indeed, God speaks in many ways...even through Muslim taxi drivers!