In the life story of St. Edith Stein (1891-1942), there were several significant interruptions. The first is often told; it occurred when Edith was a young doctoral student, having just finished her dissertation. Waiting for her director to review her work, Edith, along with a friend, took a trip to Frankfurt, and there visited the city’s Cathedral. Edith, raised Jewish, and for many years an agnostic, entered the church in “respectful silence.” Had she simply been curious about the inside of the imposing Cathedral? Suddenly, her quiet visit was interrupted by the sounds of someone entering the church—a woman with a market basket. The woman knelt and began to pray. Edith recalled, “Here was a woman interrupting her daily activities as if to talk with a friend.” The anonymous quiet woman had a major impact on the young agnostic: she “could never forget” that scene. (Life in a Jewish Family) Edith had walked into the cathedral as a visitor, but left, I believe, a pilgrim; the interruption had been God sent. I like to imagine the Holy Spirit as orchestrating this scene, guiding both the prayerful woman and the young scholar to enter the Cathedral at approximately the same time. The woman became a silent interrupter, witnessing to her Divine Friend; and Edith’s pilgrimage was launched!
The second interruption occurred after Edith had converted to Catholicism, and had become a Carmelite nun, Sr. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. She was busy one Advent day, wrapping gifts, when she fell and broke her ankle—a terribly painful interruption to her Christmas preparations. While she was in the hospital recovering from surgery, she had the opportunity to attend a Baptism on Christmas Eve; ordinarily, Edith would not have been able to leave the cloistered monastery to do so. Such an inspiring moment for Edith, particularly when the person to receive the sacrament was her sister, Rosa. There are blessings even associated with a broken ankle!
Certainly, the Gospels are filled with stories of grand interruptions. Our lives would be vastly different if Mary and Joseph had not embraced unexpected visits from angels! I also think of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. I wonder what time of day Mary appeared at her cousin’s house. Could it be that Elizabeth had just finished preparing a meal, and she and Zechariah were about to enjoy their meal when there was a knock at the door? Might they initially have been annoyed at the interruption? How that little annoyance turned to utter joy! The Mother of God was visiting, bringing with her Jesus, her unborn child! Little did Elizabeth know as she prepared a meal that day that she would be preparing it for the Lord Himself!
Perhaps in the remaining days of Advent, we might ask ourselves, “Is this interruption God sent? Is it an opportunity to view our paths as pilgrimages, and our pauses as graces?”
